CM directs officials to begin Kaleshwaram barrage restoration works in December

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed officials to take up restoration of the damaged Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram project strictly in accordance with the recommendations of national-level experts and the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), with a target of commencing the works in December.

At a review meeting here, the Chief Minister asked officials to secure the final approvals by the end of November. He also asked Ministers to counter the misleading propaganda that water available at Medigadda.

For water lifted from Medigadda to reach the Yellampalli reservoir, the gates of Annaram and Sundilla barrages would have to be closed. However, the NDSA had advised that the gates of these two barrages, which have structural defects, should remain open.

On the utilisation of Godavari waters through alternative arrangements, Mr. Revanth Reddy said the government had lifted water on an unprecedented scale through the Devadula and Sitarama lift irrigation schemes to prevent the downstream Godavari water from going waste.

While the previous government lifted an average of 9.57 tmc ft annually through Devadula, the average had increased to 18.13 tmc ft during the last three years, registering an increase of 89%. By October this year, 16.71 tmc ft had been lifted through Devadula and 8.10 tmc ft through Sitarama, taking the combined utilisation to 24.81 tmc ft, he said.

He said the State would not have faced such difficulties during drought conditions had the previous government constructed a barrage at Tummidihatti and completed the Pranahita project. Water from Pranahita could have been brought to Yellampalli at a lower cost, he observed.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior officials explained the restoration plan for the three barrages.

Proposals estimated at approximately ₹4,193 crore had been prepared for the restoration of the three barrages. Under the proposed arrangement, the construction agencies would bear the cost of rectifying defects, while the government would meet the expenditure on additional works.