TS govt agress to change Pranahita design
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao agreed to change the design of the Pranahita-Chevella project to avoid confrontation with the Maharashtra government.
Rao, who met his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai, responded positively to the latter's request that Telangana desist from increasing the height of the proposed barrage to limit submergence area in the neighbouring State.
Both the CMs also agreed to form a study group within a fortnight to study all issues pertaining to the project. Their talks focused mainly on Telangana's request to let it increase the height of the project, which will come up in Adilabad district, up to 152 metres.
If TS does so, it could divert 22,000 cusecs of water from Pranahita to Yellampalli. However, Fadnavis urged Rao not to insist on it. 'I brought it to the notice of Rao that if the height is retained, only 700 acres in Maharashtra will be submerged.
He accepted our request to lower the dam's height,' Fadnavis later told reporters. Rao said, 'We do not want any confrontation. We want cordial relations with Maharashtra.'
In return for the gesture, Maharashtra agreed to allow Telangana to use 160 tmc water from Godavari. However, sources said a final decision on change of design or height would be taken after the study group's report.
News Posted: 18 February, 2015
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