Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Govt. allays fears over Manjira project

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad July 7. In the case of Manjira, a tributary of the Godavari, the State Government has given a clean chit to Karnataka and allayed fears entertained by some quarters that Karnataka is resorting to overdrawals from this river thus affecting inflows coming to the Sriramsagar project.

At a press conference here today, the Major Irrigation Minister, K. Srihari, also dismissed as `wrong', reports that the Union Government had recently issued permission to Karnataka to increase Alamatti height to 524.256 metres (as originally planned) as compared to 519.6 metres allowed by the Supreme Court through its judgment in Alamatti case, and that the State Government had stopped the Vamsadhara Project yielding to pressure from the Orissa Government.

The Minister who was accompanied by a dozen Irrigation officials, said, as per the existing agreements and the understanding reached between the Chief Ministers of the two States following two meetings in 1975 and 1978, Karnataka was entitled to utilise of 17.4 tmcft out of the Godavari sub-basin IV in which the Manjira was located. The latest finding, however, was that the utilisation by that State was not even 0.5 tmcft so far through the four means--Karanja (which was allocated 13.10 tmcft), Chulkunada (1.17 tmcft), minor irrigation projects (2.132 tmcft and lift schemes (1 tmcft).

Mr. Srihari offered to get further information from Karnataka on the utilisation aspect, in light of the allegations.

On the alleged Delhi clearance allowing Alamatti height increase, conveyed to Karnataka reportedly through a letter by the Union Water Resources Minister, the Minister said, the last communication carried on the issue was in December 2000 and it was by the Planning Commission restricting the height to 519.6 m as per the Supreme Court verdict.

Touching on Vamsadhara, Mr. Srihari said, what was stopped was embankments taken up on the Andhra side of the river to prevent flooding of villages during the season. The Orissa Government sought stoppage on the plea that the embankments while protecting Andhra villages, would force waters onto its villages.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• 30 Cong., TRS men hurt in lathicharge
• Govt. allays fears over Manjira project
• Kodela puts blame on doctors
• Over 400 kids affected in Karimnagar
• ZP chiefs chalk out stir plan
• KCR accuses Govt. of failure
• Nizamabad Collector confirms seven viral fever deaths
• Karnataka, A.P. to join hands on RDS
• CM rejects free power demand out of hand
• Two naxals killed in encounter
• Doctors seek withdrawal of GO

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu