Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, the project supplying Tungabhadra water to Telangana, is back in the news again.

The Telangana Government has initiated an intensive exercise to identify both immediate and long-term solutions to safeguard its rightful share of waters under the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy made a fervent plea to Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil to thrash out a permanent solution to the problems afflicting the project that have turned into major impediments in allowing Telangana to draw its share of allocated water from Tungabhadra river.

The project caters to the needs of over 83,900 acres ayacut spread over 75 villages in Gadwal, Alampur and other places in the erstwhile Palamuru (Mahbubnagar) district but the State could draw just around 6 tmcft against the allocation of 17.9 tmcft.

The Reason

Continuing concerns over poor water availability, silt accumulation and structural constrains affecting the canal flows. There have been persistent difficulties in drawing adequate water into RDS despite allocations made to the State primarily on account of heavy silt deposits near the canal head regulator, changes in river morphology and structural impediments which significantly affected the free flow of water into the canal system over the years.

Also read:Telangana’s legitimate rights over Tungabhadra waters will not be compromised: Uttam

The system faces structural and hydraulic challenges that require a durable solution capable of serving the system for the next 15 to 20 years.

Expert Committee

The Government of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh appointed an expert committee that made several recommendations in 2004.

Several recommendations made by an Expert Committee in 2004 were revisited during the deliberations. Among the key recommendations were the removal of silt mounds and sediment deposits near the canal entrance, restoration of proper gradients to facilitate smooth water entry, and execution of revetment works to stabilise river flows and protect vulnerable stretches.

The expert panel pointed to the need for construction of a retainer wall to prevent silting of the RDS water source putting the Telangana farmers at the receiving end. According to technical assessments, a substantial portion of the river flow tends to move towards the Andhra Pradesh side under certain conditions, reducing water availability at the Telangana canal head.

Present status

Though Telangana deposited funds for modernisation of the RDS, downstream construction faced inordinate delays. This forced the State to look out for alternatives like Mallammakunta balancing reservoir to maximise water utilisation through Tungabhadra lift irrigation scheme.

A brain storming session chaired by the Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy recently reviewed the status of the Tummilla Lift Irrigation Scheme, conceived as a supplementary source to stabilise the RDS ayacut and provide greater irrigation security to farmers in the region. The Chief Minister wanted the Irrigation officials to examine the scope for enhancing the storage capacity of the Mallammakunta reservoir to 5 to 6 tmcs even if it involved acquisition of more land.

The project was planned in two stages, with Stage-I involving the construction of three pump houses and Stage-II comprising three balancing reservoirs including the one at Mallammakunta to augment water availability and improve irrigation reliability.

Recent initiatives

A high level meeting of the Chief Ministers of the three riparian States Telangana (A. Revanth Reddy), Karnataka (D.K. Shiva Kumar) and Andhra Pradesh (N. Chandrababu Naidu) with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil at the Tungabhadra project site.

The Telangana Chief Minister sought the intervention of the Central Government in amicably resolving the vexatious issue that had been hanging balance for decades. One of the major initiatives in this direction could be strengthening the Tungabhadra board under the Central Water Commission to ensure permanent regulated sharing mechanism and faster desilting efforts.

He said after the meeting that the Telangana Government has taken the issues like silt accumulation to the attention of the Union Minister Mr. Patil, whom he described as a problem solver in Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government, and it was resolved to find a permanent solution to the water crisis.

This follows the State Government’s resolve to engage constructively with Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and the Centre to evolve mutually acceptable solutions that can improve water management within the Tungabhadra basin while safeguarding Telangana’s legitimate rights.

The Chief Minister was firm that priority should be accorded to finding solutions instead of indulging in water sharing disputes while the Irrigation Minister said the objective was not merely to secure allocations on paper but to ensure that allocated waters physically reach farmers’ fields.

The way forward

Officials are directed to prepare a comprehensive action plan examining all available alternatives, including dredging, canal head improvements, modernisation works, supplementary lift irrigation options and interstate coordination mechanisms. As an immediate measure, dredging emerged as one of the most practical options under consideration with engineers recommending that systematic dredging near the canal head could remove accumulated silt and improve water conveyance during critical irrigation periods.

One major take away at the meeting convened to mark the inauguration of 33 new gates of Tungabhadra project is the resolve of the three Chief Ministers to rise above politics for the cause of farmers in the three States. Hopefully, the resolve sustains and the intent carries forward in the interests of the farmers of the three riparian States.