The State Government has decided to address a letter afresh inviting Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao to participate in the tripartite discussions between Telangana, AP and Karnataka for taking up work on modernisation of Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS).
The project envisaging modernisation of RDS anicut and head works and modernisation of canals in three packages were launched with an estimated ₹105.73 crore in 2008. The then government of the united State deposited ₹58.9 crore with Karnataka for taking up the work. But the project hit a road block with farmers from Kurnool blocking the works, objecting to modernisation of the project.
The State has been insisting on completion of work which includes repairs to sluices which are in a dilapidated condition as well as raising the height as it would ensure water releases to over 87,500 acres of ayacut under RDS scheme. “It is of critical importance for Telangana to complete the head work this summer,” a senior official said.
Officials said major portion of work under package III and IV involving canal modernisation on the Karnataka side of the project have almost been completed, but the progress relating to work on modernisation of anicut and head work as well as RDS main canal is very slow.
The Karnataka government on its part had submitted utilisation certificate for the amount deposited for taking up the work on its side. “We have agreed to pay for the balance value of work estimated at ₹46.79 crore of which an amount of ₹13.67 crore is ready for deposition with the Karnataka government,” the official said.
The project is of critical importance to the State as there is no other way to supplementing the requirement of ayacut under RDS from other projects.
The Irrigation Department had earlier addressed letters to their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh government impressing upon them the need to convene the tripartite meeting for early completion of the work. “There has been no response from the neighbouring State since the past two seasons in spite of Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao personally speaking to his AP counterpart,” he said.
The government had therefore decided to address a letter yet again asking the neighbouring State to participate in the tripartite meeting for resolving the issues.
