Hyderabad, April 17: Chief Minister K Rosaiah today thanked UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Water Resources Minister PK Bansal and the Central Water Commission (CWC) for giving an `in principle’ nod for the mammoth Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanti lift irrigation project.
“It was only yesterday that I had met Bansal. By the time I came back to Hyderabad the project got `in principle’ approval from the CWC.
It is one of the biggest projects ever envisaged in the country and dream project for the Telangana area,’’ an elated Rosaiah said.
The total ayacut to be created under the project will be 16.40 lakh acres with seven linkages from Pranahita river.
For obtaining an `in principle’ consent of the CWC, a lot of excersie had been done on general data, general planning, inter-State and international aspects, survey and investigation including geological investigation, seismic investigation, foundation investigation, construction material surveys, hydrological and meteorological investigations, hydrology, drinking water requirements, irrigation planning, planning for other benefits as applicable, environmental and ecological aspects. etc.
Based on the preliminary report of the Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanti Project, the CWC gave its consent.
The BR Ambedkar Pranahita- Chevella Sujala Sravanti envisages diversion of 160 tmcft of water from the Pranahita, a major tributary to the Godavari to irrigate an ayacut of 16.40 lakh acres in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Warangal, Rangareddy and Nalgonda districts in the Telangana region of the State.
Besides irrigation, the project proposes to provide drinking and industrial water supply.
–Agencies