New Tungabhadra gates will help address decades-old distress in basin: Telangana CM

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said the installation and modernisation of all 33 new spillway gates at the Tungabhadra reservoir would help address a long-standing crisis affecting lakhs of farmers and migrant families in the river basin across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

After the inauguration of the newly-installed 33 spillway gates of the Tungabhadra reservoir at Hosapete in Vijayanagara district on June 25, Mr. Reddy addressed a public meeting at Munirabad in neighbouring Koppal district.

“The exercise of replacing the old gates with new ones would provide major relief to farmers in Ballari, Anantapur, Kurnool and Palamuru (Mahabubnagar) districts, where water scarcity and migration have been a recurring problem for generations,” Mr. Reddy said.

Describing the occasion as a historic moment, Mr. Reddy said the day would find a permanent place in the history of the Tungabhadra project, much like the original construction of the reservoir. He said the replacement and revival of all 33 gates marked a significant milestone in securing the future of the inter-State irrigation project, and protecting the interests of farmers dependent on its waters.

He said the gathering of leaders from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on a common platform reflected a collective resolve to address the problems of the Tungabhadra command area beyond political considerations. Stressing the need for coordinated action, he said the three States had come together with the larger objective of finding durable solutions to the water needs of farmers and rural communities in the region.

Mr. Reddy referred to the water problems in areas covered under the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS), including Gadwal, Alampur and Palamuru regions, and said farmers there were unable to fully utilise their allocated share of water. He attributed this in part to silt accumulation in the Tungabhadra reservoir and other constraints affecting the smooth flow and availability of water. He said the issue had been brought to the notice of the Union Jal Shakti Minister and the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, and called for a practical solution that would ensure justice to farmers.

Emphasising that the need of the hour was not political confrontation, but permanent resolution of water issues, he said Telangana was committed to working with neighbouring States to resolve long-pending inter-State disputes linked to the Krishna, Godavari and Tungabhadra river systems. He urged the Centre to play a constructive role in facilitating discussions among the riparian States, and evolving a fair and lasting settlement.

Recalling that the Tungabhadra dam was built through cooperation in an earlier era for the benefit of farmers, he said present-day governments and elected representatives had a responsibility to rise above differences, and act in the larger interest of agriculture and rural livelihoods. He expressed hope that the collective initiative around Tungabhadra would set an example for resolving similar inter-State water disputes elsewhere in the country.

The event was attended by Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil.