Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis today around 11 AM signed a historic agreement to share waters of Godavari and its tributaries between the two states. They met at Sahyadri guest house, Mumbai. Talking on the MoU Fadnvis said the MoU would address the water concerns of the two states. He said the MoU was the result of talks with Telangana chief minister which began last year. T CM had agreed to honor the concerns of Maharashtra, he said.
His Telangana counterpart KCR said year back he had visited Mahararshtra for the settlement of water sharing agreement. “After a long fight we got Telangana State which raised hopes among the people. We have to work to fulfill them . Water and employment are our priorities. AP vs Maha fought for long on for water. Now we are settling the issues amicably, where many states waging battles,” KCR said thanking the Maha CM personally. “Water aplenty. about 2000 to 4000 TMC going to sea. The Godavari waters down below Bhadrachalm can be used by AP. “TS and Maha share long boarder. We will ensure there was no submergence in Maharashtra as sought by the chief minister of Maharashtra. This cooperation, he said, would be extended to other areas like transport, the Telangana CM hoped.
KCR invited the chief minister Maharashtra and irrigation minister to Hyderabad ” We will treat you with Hyderabad Biriyani,” he said.
The MoU cover five projects proposed to be built on Godavari, Penganga and Pranahita rivers.
The five projects are:
1. Kaleswaram, a barrage at Rajapet on Penganga;
2.A barrage between Chankha and Kovata;
3. A barrage at Penpahad;
4. A barrage at Tammadihatti on Pranahita
5. A barrage at Medigadda.
Maharashtra is planning projects at Rajapet and Penpahad, while Telangana will build the remaining three. The MoU allows Telangana to take up the projects across Godavari and its tributaries on condition that there should be minimal or no submergence of villages in Maharashtra. The projects are expected to benefit both the states, particularly drought prone Telangana.
The Kaleswaram project, new avatar of Pranahita-Chavella lift irrigation project, will come up Kannepalli village in Karimnagar district. It is aimed at irrigating 45,000 acres as well as drinking water to over 60 villages.
Lower Penganga project on Penganga river, which is tributary of Godavari, will irrigate about 2,38,000 acres in Maharashtra and 40,000 acres in Telangana. The Lendi project coming up across the River Manjira, which is tributary to Godavari, is envisaged to irrigate 38,820 acres in Nanded district of Maharashtra and 27,710 acres in Nizamabad district of Telangana.
KCR, who arrived in Mumbai on Monday, was accompanied by state irrigation minister T Harish Rao, endowments minister Indrakaran Reddy, chief secretary Rajiv Sharma and many other senior officials
