Warangal: Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday said the Congress government would not permit the construction of the Banakacharla project under any circumstances, declaring that the project is being opposed through all possible means, including direct communication and written objections to the Centre.
Speaking to the media in Hanamkonda after offering condolences to senior Congress leader and MLA Donthi Madhava Reddy on the demise of his mother, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government was committed to protecting Telangana’s rightful share in Krishna and Godavari river waters.
He stated that the Congress government had already conveyed Telangana’s objections to the Banakacharla project in writing to Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil. “Telangana, Maharashtra and other co-basin states have clearly opposed it. Yet Harish Rao is speaking as if the Telangana government is silent. His claims are completely false,” he said.
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The Minister asserted that Telangana would also not support the proposed raising of the Almatti dam height. “It does not matter which party is in power in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh or Maharashtra. For us, Telangana’s water rights are paramount,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy criticised former Minister T. Harish Rao for spreading misinformation. “Not one word spoken by Harish Rao is true. The injustice to Telangana in Krishna and Godavari waters happened during the ten years of BRS rule, not during our 21-month Congress government,” he said.
He alleged that former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and then Irrigation Minister Harish Rao had agreed to give Andhra Pradesh 512 TMC of Krishna water while settling for just 299 TMC for Telangana out of the 811 TMC allocated to united Andhra Pradesh. “This agreement was made in writing and presented to the Centre. The loss occurred under BRS,” he said.
He emphasised that after the Congress came to power, Telangana made it clear that the previous allocations were unacceptable. “We demanded 70% share for Telangana and presented strong arguments before the Tribunal. I am the only Irrigation Minister in the country to appear personally before the tribunal in such a water dispute,” he said.
Elaborating on the state’s arguments, he said Telangana demanded 70% of 811 TMC at 75% dependability and 734 TMC out of 1,005 TMC at 65% dependability. “We argued both in writing and in person, and we are confident that justice will be done,” he said.
On Godavari waters, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the BRS government had completely failed. “The only project they built in ten years – Kaleshwaram – has collapsed. Medigadda barrage is damaged. Cracks have developed in Sundilla and Annaram barrages. In the past 21 months, not a single drop of water was lifted from them,” he said.
He pointed out that despite these failures, Telangana achieved record paddy production. “Without a drop of water from these barrages, we produced 148.5 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this season — the highest in the country. Out of this, the Congress government will procure 80 lakh metric tonnes. No other state has achieved this,” he said.
He said the BRS had not even started work at Tummidihatti, despite making promises for ten years. “They didn’t lift even a handful of soil. Now, we have started the Chevella–Pranahita project from Tummidihatti and will complete it,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress government had secured 67 TMC water allocation for the Sitarama project and was working with the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government to get 47 TMC for the Sammakka–Sarakka barrage. “We are making all efforts to obtain the required clearances. This is proof that Telangana will benefit more under the Congress government,” he said.
He also spoke about the government’s plans to complete all pending projects in the former Warangal district, including the Devadula project. He praised the public support for the Warangal airport project, which he said would take the city to the next level.
Uttam Kumar Reddy strongly criticised Harish Rao for attempting to defame the Congress government and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. “This habit of speaking lies and creating confusion must stop. Telangana people are observing everything. We have both the sincerity and capability to protect Telangana’s water rights,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy directs officials to fast-track DPR for Pranahita–Chevella project with Tummidihatti barrage
Hyderabad: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday directed officials to fast-track the preparation of a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Pranahita–Chevella project, prioritising the construction of a barrage at Tummidihatti for its revival.
Chairing an extensive review meeting at the Dr B. R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat, the minister examined the field observations submitted by officials who recently visited Tummidihatti and Sundilla, where detailed technical surveys are underway. Officials explained that the original canal alignment and hydraulic structures remain largely intact and could be reused after minor rehabilitation.
They reported that the canal network, extending nearly 71 kilometres, is in usable condition, with two major aqueducts already 70 per cent complete. Engineers confirmed that water could flow up to Sundilla entirely through gravity, eliminating the need for multiple lifting stages. “Up to Sundilla there is no lift required. It is full gravity flow,” one senior official told the meeting.
As per the earlier proposal of Pranahita–Chevella, it was envisaged to draw water from Tummidihatti to Chevella through Yellampalli. Officials have now examined the field conditions and found that from 0–71 km downstream of Tummidihatti, several components of the canal were already executed. Of this stretch, about 45 km of canal excavation has been completed, while works in the remaining portions are partially finished.
Beyond the 71 km point, located near Mylaram village in Mancherial district, officials discussed two options for taking water further downstream. As per the original scheme, water can be conveyed from Mylaram to the Yellampalli reservoir, a stretch of about 50 km that requires a single lift. The alternate proposal is to carry water from the same point directly to the Sundilla barrage, covering about 35 km, which can be achieved entirely through gravity.
Both options include a combination of tunnel and open canal sections, but while the first requires lifting, the second functions on gravity flow, making it technically simpler and more economical.
The minister welcomed the findings, noting that the gravity-based alignment up to Sundilla would enhance both technical and financial feasibility. “We must prepare both options so that a firm decision can be taken before the end of this month,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy has scheduled a follow-up review meeting next week with Principal Secretary Rahul Bojja, Special Secretary Prashant Jeevan Patil, Advisor Adityanath Das, Engineer-in-Chief Amjedullah, and other field engineers to finalise the direction of work.
He instructed officials to set the process in motion for completing the revised DPR by October-end, emphasising that it must include hydraulic, environmental, and cost parameters, as well as updated satellite and terrain surveys.
Moving to energy-efficiency measures, Uttam Kumar Reddy directed the department to identify irrigation lands suitable for establishing solar power plants, stating that the power generated should be used to operate irrigation schemes and pumping stations.
“If we generate power within the department and use it for our own lift schemes, we can save enormous expenditure every year,” he said. The minister asked officials to compile a comprehensive inventory of all irrigation lands across the State by next week, categorising them as viable for solar installations, commercially monetisable, or required for future projects.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Irrigation Department should lead by example in adopting renewable energy, noting that it would not only reduce recurring power costs but also help the State meet its clean-energy goals. “Power bills constitute a significant share of operational costs. Solar generation within departmental lands can drastically reduce that burden,” he observed.
During the review, Uttam Kumar Reddy examined the status of pending proposals for Devadula Package-III, Kalwakurthi Package-29, Palamuru–Rangareddy Package-7, and the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, instructing officers to complete documentation so that these could be placed before the Cabinet in the next round. He said all necessary justifications and technical clarifications must accompany each file to avoid audit objections.
The minister also reviewed progress on the SLBC tunnel, including the aerial survey undertaken for alignment verification, and asked officials to expedite related works.
On inter-State issues, Uttam Kumar Reddy discussed the recent Karnataka government notification enhancing land-acquisition areas and compensation related to water utilisation. He asked officials to immediately raise objections with the Centre against any move that might affect Telangana’s water rights and to coordinate with the legal team to protect the State’s interests, particularly those linked to the Almatti and Banakacherla projects.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said that reviving the Pranahita-Chevella project through the Tummidihatti barrage was not merely a reconstruction exercise, but a reaffirmation of the Congress government’s commitment to ensuring irrigation for every acre of cultivable land.
