Three southern CMs share stage at Tungabhadra gates inauguration
HOSPET: In a rare show of unity, the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka came together on Thursday at Hospet to inaugurate 33 newly installed crest gates at the Tungabhadra Dam, underlining that inter-state cooperation on water was essential for the welfare of farmers across the region.
.jpg)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil shared the dais at the event. Mr. Naidu formally commissioned the new gates and said that although states may have different administrations, the country was one and rivers like Tungabhadra bound them together.
The Chief Minister recalled that in August 2024, gate number 19 of the dam was washed away, leading to significant water loss. Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka then jointly undertook restoration works and replaced all 33 crest gates at a cost of Rs 51 crore. A stop-lock gate was installed immediately after the 2024 incident to prevent further wastage, and the subsequent restoration had now strengthened the project's safety and operational reliability, he said. Naidu appreciated the coordination between the two state governments in completing the work on time.
Highlighting the historical and spiritual significance of the Tungabhadra River, the Chief Minister said it had served as a natural protective barrier for the Vijayanagara empire and Hampi. He noted that several important pilgrimage centres, including the Jogulamba temple, the Virupaksha temple at Hampi, and the Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt at Mantralayam, were located on its banks, making the river central to the cultural identity of the Deccan.
Turning to long-term water security, Mr. Naidu stressed that river interlinking was essential for the country's future. He cited the successful implementation of the Ken'Betwa river-linking project in northern India and said a similar Godavari'Cauvery link would bring long-term benefits to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Recalling a 1983 decision taken by the then Prime Minister and four Chief Ministers, he said it was agreed to provide 5 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu and, with the consent of undivided Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, 15 TMC of drinking water was supplied to Chennai. Such consensus-driven decisions, he said, showed what was possible when states prioritized collective welfare over disputes.
Against the backdrop of declining inflows into reservoirs due to the impact of El Ni'o, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for prudent and efficient utilization of water resources. He suggested that states should first take up river-linking projects within their own territories and then move toward inter-state linkages. Protecting farmers' interests, he said, was the common objective of all governments, and the meeting of southern states at Tungabhadra would remain a landmark event in history. He called upon all stakeholders to work together to safeguard the interests of the farming community.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed hope that Union Minister C.R. Patil would provide a permanent solution to the disputes over Tungabhadra waters. He said the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had come together on a common platform and held discussions solely to resolve farmers' issues, and that such collaboration should continue for the benefit of the region.
The inauguration of the 33 new crest gates marks the completion of critical restoration works at one of south India's oldest multipurpose dams, which provides irrigation and drinking water to lakhs of acres and several towns across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.
|
