Karnataka to complete RDS modernisation work soon.

The Karnataka government has assured a delegation from Telangana led by Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao that was in Bangalore recently for talks on modernisation of the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS), including increasing the height of the barrage by 15 cm., that the work would be completed before the commencement of irrigation season.

Accompanied by Minister Jupally Krishna Rao and Dr. C. Laxma Reddy, legislator G. Balaraju, Principal Secretary S.K. Joshi, OSD Sridhar Rao Deshpande, he held talks with Karnataka Irrigation Minister M.B. Patil and other officials of the department. The Telangana delegation also submitted a memorandum to Karnataka government through its Minister requesting it to release 3 TMC ft water from Narayanapur dam to Jurala reservoir for drinking water needs, since the State was facing water crisis due to poor monsoon in 2015.

Mr. Patil, according to Telangana officials in the delegation, had assured that he would take Telangana government’s representation to the notice of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and discuss about the water available in Narayanapur with Krishna Jala Nigam officials before taking a decision.

Mr. Harish Rao also spoke to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Devineni Umamaheswara Rao over phone from Bangalore for a meeting to discuss the issue of RDS modernisation.

Modernisation works were halted in 2014 following obstruction by farmers from Kurnool district on the pretext that repairs would reduce water flow in Tungabhadra river affecting supplies to K-C canal system as RDS could utilise its allocated quota of water. Mr. Umamaheswara Rao told his Telangana counterpart that they could have a meeting after May 4. The talks between Telangana and AP were likely to include the issue of rehabilitation of people displaced by Pulichintala project, apart from RDS.

Against the allocation of 15.9 TMC ft to 87,500 acres ayacut in Mahabubnagar and Kurnool districts under RDS, the farmers in Gadwal and Alampur of Mahabubnagar did not get water for more than 20,000 acres ever through the irrigation system’s existence from 1958. After running for 40 km in Raichur district of Karnataka, the main canal of RDS would enter Mahabubnagar district.

Over utilisation of water in Karnataka and in Kurnool district by damaging the sluices had been denying Mahabubnagar its due share of water from RDS all these years. Of the Rs.72 crore sanctioned by combined AP government for increasing the height of the barrage and lining of the main canal, Rs.58 crore was released and deposited with Karnataka government since the head works and main canal are in Karnataka territory.

The barrage height increasing work was completed only 29 per cent over the last eight years. Of the four packages, work was completed only the last one so far.

THE HINDU