The Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation project envisaged by the Government of Telangana not only intends to irrigate 10 lakh acres in drought-prone areas of Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda districts but also holds the key in its scheme of things to spur industrial growth in and around Hyderabad.
According to irrigation authorities, the government wants to supply water to industries as well as for drinking purpose in the areas which it believes would witness industrial growth in and around Hyderabad with the help of a new industrial policy to be unveiled on June 7. The project, intended to utilise 70 tmc ft Krishna water during 25 to 35 flood days every year, is estimated to cost Rs.25,000 crore.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has already approved stage-I of the project to be taken up with Rs.16,000 crore, even as the government has given the task of preparing the detailed project report to the Engineering Staff College of India with Rs.5.71 crore. Initially, it was planned to lift water from the foreshore of Jurala project near Appampally village in Mahabubnagar district studying the flood data at Jurala for the last 14 years, which revealed that there was consistent discharge of about one lakh cusecs of water at least for 25 days every year.
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However, the government has second thoughts on the take off point now, following doubts over the number of flood days. Sources in the Irrigation Department stated that the possibility of lifting water from the foreshore of Srisailam reservoir in the district is being examined now.
The change in design is likely to alter the location of two balancing reservoirs planned initially with storage capacity of 20 tmc ft and 30 tmc ft at Laxmidevipally and Koilkonda, respectively.