Uttam Meets Chhattisgarh CM, Gets NOC for Sammakka Sagar
The Irrigation Minister expressed hope that with the positive response from Vishnu Deo Sai, the matter would move quickly to a formal conclusion
HYDERABAD: The Sammakka Sagar project on the Godavari river on Monday achieved a significant breakthrough, with Chhattisgarh giving an in-principle approval for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Telangana for the project. The decision came after state irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy met Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai in Raipur seeking cooperation from that state to take the project forward.
Thanking Vishnu Deo Sai for his positive response, Uttam Kumar Reddy, after the meeting, said Monday's development was long awaited. Telangana, he said, submitted a memorandum outlining its commitment taking full responsibility for land acquisition, compensation and rehabilitation in Chhattisgarh to address submergence issues when the project is completed.
He said the NOC was the final interstate requirement following which the final approval from the Central Water Commission for the project can be received.
On submergence of land in Chhattisgarh, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the project’s backwaters extending into Bhoopalpatnam tahsil of Bijapur district is expected to impact about 13.06 hectares of land, 54.03 hectares of river area, and 6.35 hectares of nala land.
Telangana, he said, recognised Chhattisgarh’s apprehensions on this issue and assured that Telangana was willing to adhere to Chhattisgarh’s suggestions and pay compensation as per existing rules to affected landowners.
“To demonstrate our seriousness, we have proposed to make an advance lump-sum payment to the Chhattisgarh government. This advance, calculated on the basis of land acquisition norms, will be paid before or against the issuance of a Letter of Intent for the NOC, and this step is aimed at removing any financial or administrative delays in the process of clearance,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
He expressed hope that with the positive response from Vishnu Deo Sai, the matter would move quickly to a formal conclusion. “The Sammakka Sagar Project is vital not only for Nalgonda and Warangal but also for stabilising irrigation across large parts of Telangana,” he said.
Sammakka Sagar Barrage
Location: Tupakulagudem in Mulugu district at Godavari-Indravati confluence;
Storage capacity: 6.7 TMC at Full Reservoir Level of +83 metres;
Ayacut stabilisation: 1.78 lakh hectares under the Sriramsagar Project Stage-II
New ayacut: 12,146 hectares under the Ramappa-Pakhal Link Canal.
Project components include approach channels, gravity canals, three pump houses and delivery cisterns, tunnel network of nearly 90 km;
Additional irrigation potential for Warangal, Suryapet, Mahabubabad, Jangaon, Khammam, Nalgonda districts;
Drought-prone and fluoride-affected districts of Nalgonda and Warangal to benefit.