Telangana CM directs officials to prepare operation manuals for irrigation projects

Hyderabad : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has instructed the officials concerned to prepare new operation manuals for all the irrigation projects in the state.

The Chief Minister suggested that there should be estimation on how much water from what area will be utilised for Mission Bhagiratha and the need to form a Drinking Water Front with the state as one unit.

He wanted estimates should be prepared on how much water is needed for each power generation project from the irrigation projects and for the utilisation of water for this purpose, Power Front of Telangana should be formed.

The Chief Minister has decided to form a special wing at the higher level to monitor the rectification and cleansing of the land records programme.

He has instructed the officials to take measures to form Registrar’s office at every mandal and the appointment of the Information Technology officers in the revenue offices.

On Tuesday at Pragati Bhavan, the Chief Minister has held a joint review meeting of Agriculture, Irrigation, Mission Bhagiratha and Revenue.

Deputy Chief Minister Mohamood Ali, Ministers T Harish Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Government’s Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Mission Bhagiratha Vice Chairman Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Whip Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLC Karne Prabhakar, Police Housing Corporation Chairman Damodar, Chief Secretary SP Singh, Special Chief Secretaries, SK Joshi, BR Meena, Principal Secretary S Narsing Rao, Senior official Ms Vakati Karuna, Irrigation E-in-C Sri Muralidhar, Mission Bhagiratha E-in-C Sri Surender Reddy, HMW CE Sri Satyanarayana, CMO officials participated in the meeting.

In this meeting the discussion took place on how to utilise water available from the Krishna Godavari to the Drinking water, irrigation, power and for the industries at the optimal level with efficiency.

In this context, the Chief Minister made several valuable suggestions.

“We are constructing several projects on Godavari and Krishna Rivers. Water from these two rivers will be supplied, besides, irrigation, for power generation and the industries purpose also. Against his backdrop, there is a need to prepare new Operation Manuals for all the irrigation projects. There should be clarity on how much water to be given for irrigation, power and industries. Based on the inflows at the projects there should be calculations on the proportion of water to be supplied to these sectors. A special method should be adopted,” he explained.

“Prepare new Operation Manuals immediately. Instructions from the State Capital from time to time on the release of water should be followed meticulously. Officials from Mission Bhagiratha should take into consideration how much water is being supplied from which project and which areas are getting water from where? A Drinking Water Front for Telangana is required to assess the situation about water drawn from the irrigation projects. Similarly, Power Front of Telangana should also be formed to how much water is required for the power projects from which Irrigation project and how to get it? Estimates should also be prepared on the matter. Industry sector too, need such a planning and policy,” the Chief Minister explained.

“We will give top priority to the drinking water from the projects. For this, we have allocated 10 percent of water from all the reservoirs for the drinking water purposes. We have to efficiently utilise that water. Water will be available at Kaleswaram project by next year. Drinking water will be available from the projects to old Warangal, Karimnagar, Medak, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Nalgonda, Khammam, Ranga Reddy district as well as Hyderabad City. Hence, Mission Bhagiratha officials have to prepare two plans. The first plan is about the present day availability of water and resources and prepare plans keeping in view the need till July next year. After getting the water from Kaleswaram, there should be a permanent plan. Prepare estimates on how much drinking water is needed for Hyderabad, other Corporations, Municipalities and villages-wise and supply water accordingly,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister has instructed the officials concerned to make alternative arrangements for the supply of drinking water to Hyderabad City and Nalgonda districts, as there is inadequate availability of water in the Krishna River.

The Chief Minister has instructed Minister T Harish Rao and Engineer-in-Chief Muralidhar Rao to take steps to release water to Hyderabad City from Singur and from Nagarjuna Sagar to Udaya Samudram via Akkampalli to the Nalgonda district.

He wanted the supply of water from Singur to Hyderabad City and for Udaya Samudram from Nagarjuna Sagar for Nalgonda district to begin from Tuesday night itself.

The Chief Minister said there is no flood flow water from the Krishna River and there is a dead storage at Nagarjuna Sagar and hence the water should be utilized carefully. This is resulting in creating problems for the drinking water supply to Hyderabad and Nalgonda districts and hence the decision to release water from Singur and Nagarjuna Sagar, the Chief Minister said.

For the permanent solution for drinking water problem is Hyderabad, the Chief Minister suggested construction of two new reservoirs. He said the capacity of Gandipet and Himayat Sagar’s reservoirs is not able to meet the demand for the drinking water and there is a need to have two more new reservoirs for the city which can take care of the demand even when there is a famine or non availability of the water from the rivers.

The Chief Minister has decided to hold a Collectors’ meeting here on August 31 to give them guidelines and direction for the ensuing rectification and Cleansing of Land records programme. The meeting will commence at 11 AM at Pragati Bhavan will continue daylong.

The Chief Minister wanted farmers Coordination Committees to be formed from September 1 and rectification and cleansing of records from September 15.

The Chief Minister said he will make an announcement on the final guidelines on the rectification and cleansing of land records, reforms to be brought in the registration process, changes to be brought in Pattadar Passbooks, Pahani and other matters at the Conference.(ANI)