Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy met Central Water Commission (CWC) Chairman Atul Jain in New Delhi on May 7, 2025.
irrigation and civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Redral Water Commission (CWC) chairman tul jain in new delhi on Wednesday with the FOCUS OF DESCUSSsions on water Allocations for the Palamuru-Rangareddy life irrigation scheme (Prlis) and the Sammoka-Sarakka barrage.
The meeting also saw discussions on critical issues related to inter-State water management, infrastructure safety, and backwater impact from the Polavaram project.
During the meeting, Mr. Uttam requested a total water allocation of 90 tmcft for PRLIS, with an immediate sanction of 45 tmcft in the first phase, citing that Telangana had already complied with all procedural and documentation requirements laid down by the CWC. He also urged the CWC to expedite the allocation of 44 tmcft for the Sammakka-Sarakka project, noting that all necessary maps and documentation had been submitted. He underlined the importance of early approval to ensure that agrarian communities dependent on these projects are not left vulnerable to recurring droughts.
In addition to these project-specific matters, the Minister expressed serious concerns over the illegal diversion of Krishna River water by Andhra Pradesh. He called on the CWC to immediately install telemetry instruments at critical points along the river to monitor water flows and prevent unauthorised withdrawals.
He pointed out that Telangana had already released its financial share for the installation of these instruments to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). The CWC Chairman, Atul Jain, is also currently holding additional charge as Chairman of the KRMB and the Polavaram Project Authority, which makes his role pivotal in ensuring compliance, coordination, and transparency in inter-State water sharing and monitoring.
Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy drew the attention of the CWC Chairman to the recent report by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), which raised serious concerns about the structural and design integrity of the entire project — not just the Medigadda barrage, but also the Annaram and Sundilla barrages.
He pointed out that the NDSA, after its technical inspection, had recommended that the Telangana government seek the technical advice and oversight of the CWC to evaluate the safety of KLIS infrastructure and determine the way forward.
Citing the report, he said there were multiple structural deficiencies, including sand piping, foundation instability, and poor quality control, which led to irreversible damage in some components of the project. Acting on this recommendation, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy requested the CWC to engage with the State government in conducting a comprehensive geotechnical and structural review and to advise on corrective measures to restore and safeguard the project.
Published – May 07, 2025 07:55 PM is
