Irrigation Engineers Fix Alignment, Helping Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary at Pranahita-Chevella Barrage Site
Irrigation engineers of Telangana involved in the works say that they have fixed the alignment in such a way that the barrage construction will not affect the Chaprala wildlife sanctuary.
Adilabad:The irrigation department would ensure that the proposed Pranahita-Chevella barrage on River Pranahita does not submerge the Chaprala wildlife sanctuary located near the barrage site.
Irrigation engineers of Telangana involved in the works say that they have fixed the alignment in such a way that the barrage construction will not affect the Chaprala wildlife sanctuary.
The Maharashtra government had raised concerns over the submergence of the wildlife sanctuary. The sanctuary is situated at the confluence of the Wardha and Wainganga rivers, where the Pranahita Chevella barrage is being proposed at Thummidihatti in Kautala mandal in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.
The Cheprala sanctuary is spread over 134.78 sq-km with biodiversity and endangered species like tigers and leopards.
The Maharashtra government expressed concern over the submergence of the backwaters of the proposed Pranahita Chevella barrage, constructed at a height of 150 metres in the past.
Irrigation engineers of Telangana are now hopeful they would come out with the DPR that doest not affect the Chaprala sanctuary and not submerge the Shivuni village in Gadchiroli district.
If there is any submergence in the Shivuni in Maharashtra, the state government is ready to pay a compensation to the submerged lands under the proposed Pranahita- Chevella barrage atThummidihatti in Kautala mandal.
Tigers are migrating into Kagaznagar forest division by crossing River Pranahita from the Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve in Maharashtra. Tiger movement was found at a few points along River Pranahita.
The tigers are migrating into Telangana from bordering Maharashtra, and Itikalpahad in Sipur (T) has become a entry point for them into Telangana.
Forest officials of Kagaznagar retrieved 1000 acres of forest land being cultivated by non-tribals and raised a plantation as part of strengthening the tiger corridor between Telangana and Maharashtra.
B Prabhakar, executive engineer of Kagaznagar circle of the irrigation department, is actively participating in the investigation. He told Deccan Chronicle that they have fixed the alignment, which does not affect the Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary and save Shivuni village, which is at 156 metres level.
However, he said, the Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary is just adjacent to the Wainganga river.
