Telangana Okay With Godavari-Cauvery Link, Sets Terms
Telangana's irrigation officials told the Union Jal Shakti Ministry that the state would support the Godavari-Cauvery river-linking scheme, provided the water is sourced from the Inchampally project in Telangana
Hyderabad: Telangana has said that it agrees ‘in-principle’ with the proposed Godavari-Cauvery river link scheme but said for the proposal to go ahead, the state’s interests must be protected.
Officials from Telangana irrigation department, on Friday, at a meeting of the sixth consultative meeting on the river-linking scheme that is being led by the Union jal shakti ministry, said that state was willing to accept the project if the Inchampally project in Telangana was the source for taking water from the Godavari to the Cauvery river.
However, the Telangana government made it clear that could can accept the project subject to its concerns being addressed on its share of river waters, and the Centre expediting clearances of all pending projects of the state based on 968 tmc ft of assured water from the Godavari.
The Centre must also ensure that there was no impact on the Samakkasagar, the integrated Sitammasagar and the Sri Rama Lift Irrigation Project.
Telangana also said that in addition to the 74 tmc ft of assured water from the proposed project, the state should be permitted to use 200 tmc ft more from the flood water in Godavari to meet drinking and irrigation water needs in drought-prone areas.
