By incorporating additional ayacut under the barrage of Pranahita-Chevella lift irrigation scheme and by getting Maharashtra’s approval for its construction without any change in its originally proposed location near Tummidi-Hatti in Koutala mandal of Adilabad district on the Telangana-Maharashtra border, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao seems to have silenced his critics in that regard.
The mutual consent between the two States will also render the mega project the first among many in Telangana which will be constructed in accordance with the concept of re-engineering of projects as envisaged by the Chief Minister to improve their efficiency. “No one has come here to stage protests since the news of the barrage being constructed here began coming in newspapers,” pointed out Jade Nanaji, a farmer from Tummidi village, as he referred to the circumstances of a few months back.
“We are told that the scaled down height of the barrage will help draw more water for irrigation to lands in this district,” he stated as he gave reasons for locals backing the government’s efforts.
“Yes, despite the decrease in its height the barrage to 148 ft, it will be beneficial to farmers of Adilabad as it envisages an additional ayacut of 1 lakh acres in the eastern region of the district by lifting just 18 tmcft of water,” asserted Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) farmers wing district president B. Goverdhan Reddy.
“The movement against any change in location or design of the barrage could not sustain itself as it was politically inspired,” he added as he recalled the criticism of the State Government in the project.
The critics, according to sources, included those who had a stake in the construction of the Pranahita-Chevella project in its earlier version. “They are apparently worried about their status consequent to the re-engineering of projects taking place,” observed a source in the Irrigation Department. The worry was or is not misplaced if the sources are to be believed. The total quantum of work in Adilabad alone in terms of financial outlay will now get reduced by half to Rs.3,000 crore.
As envisaged originally, work for the Rs. 38,500 crore project was divided into 22 packages of which five, costing Rs. 6,000 crore, are located in this district. The work executed since the foundation for the lift irrigation scheme was laid on December 16, 2008, amounts to Rs. 1,500 crore.
The critics, according to sources, included those who had a stake in the construction of the Pranahita-Chevella project in its earlier version
