Will Godavari-Kaveri link materialize?
Godavari-Kaveri river linking process has taken a step forward. But the main question is whether it will be limited to papers or will materialize. Getting the consent of partner states and the need for huge funding are both major problems. The next question is whether the center can undertake this project by providing the necessary funds. If the states do not agree and cooperate, it will not be possible to move forward with this project.
Su took a step forward in the long-debated Godavari-Kaveri river linking process. But the main question is whether this step will be limited to papers or will materialize. Getting the consent of partner states and the need for huge funding are both major problems. Overcoming both is not an easy task. Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna-Penna-Kaveri is one of the interlinking of rivers undertaken in the country. Combined Andhra Pradesh has been saying that there is no surplus in Mahanadi and Odisha and Godavari water is only sufficient for their needs. However, they have stated that they have no objection to the connection if the water is diverted from above. Not a single step has been taken apart from discussions on this.
Water for the new armpit
Before the last Lok Sabha elections, the National Water Development Authority (NWDA) had prepared a project report to divert water from Akinepalli between Devada-Dummugudem to the Grand Dam on Cauvery via Nagarjunasagar-Somashila. Even if the states are not positive - the Union Ministry of Water Power has said that the unused water allocated to Chhattisgarh in the Indravati will be diverted. It was pending due to Telangana's objection that Nagarjunasagar Ayakattu area would be lost in land acquisition if taken from Akinepally. It was decided to change it and take it from Ichchampally via Nagarjunasagar. Accordingly, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh also have an advantage. Along with irrigation of the new hymen, fixation of the old hymen is done. The Union Hydropower Ministry is of the opinion that these two states may not object. The target is to build a barrage at Ichchampally and divert 247 TMC of flood water in 143 days at a rate of 2.2 TMC per day and give 9.44 lakh hectares of land for cultivation, drinking and industrial purposes. Chennai has a separate allocation for drinking and industrial needs. Water is diverted from June to October. 1,211 km for this purpose. A long canal has to be dug. The downstream projects are likely to be impacted by the diversion of water in June and October. Since the water coming in June cannot be considered as flood water, it is necessary to get clear in advance on how much flood flow should be diverted.
Projects not moving forward..
The main doubt is whether the states will agree to the merger. According to the project report... Chhattisgarh did not agree. Maharashtra has expressed some objections and doubts. Of the 247 TMC to be diverted through this scheme, 176.5 TMC is surplus available between Sri Ramasagar-Ichchampally, while the rest is allocated to Chhattisgarh in Indrawati and is yet to be used. Originally the river linking plan was to take water from Mahanadi in Odisha to Cauvery via Godavari-Krishna-Penna. As the Center discussed with Odisha but there was no result, it was decided to take up the Brahmaputra-Ganga-Suvarnarekha-Mahanadi-Godavari link, and in the meantime, as a first step, the excess water in Godavari, which Chhattisgarh cannot use, should be diverted. But it is not possible to say how many decades it will take to connect Brahmaputra-Godavari. Because even after two decades of talking about river connectivity, there has not been much progress.
Although the Center prepared a DPR to divert water from Akinepally to Cauvery, but due to the lack of positive feedback from the states, it has recently been changed to divert water from Ichchampally. It is said that this change was made on the suggestion of Telangana, but it remains to be seen to what extent Telangana will agree to the proposal to divert the surplus from the Mahanadi to the Godavari. There is no possibility of agreeing with the National Water Development Corporation, which says that there is a surplus between Telangana-Sri Ramasagar-Ichchampally, which says that there is no objection to diversion if there is a surplus between their needs. Although the ruling BJP government in Chhattisgarh did not express positive when this proposal was first made, it did not express opposition. But the current ruling Congress government has already opposed it. It said that they could not divert their share and planned to fully utilize it. It has been revealed that a multipurpose project has been proposed with 169 TMC at Bothghat on the Indrawati. Maharashtra has said that they have an allocation of 40 TMC in Indrawati and they are planning to use the water that cannot be used here due to the dense forest area in the adjacent basin.
If states cooperate...
Andhra Pradesh is of the opinion that Telangana has proposed projects with 1,355 TMC of 954.23 TMC in Godavari, and the National Water Development Corporation has not taken this issue into consideration as it will cause problems due to blocking the flow from upstream. In addition, they said that they are facing a problem as they are undertaking projects with 200 TMC from Godavari to Banakacherla and 320 TMC for Godavari-Penna connection. However, AP has not revealed a clear stand on this till now. Karnataka and Maharashtra are demanding a share of the Godavari water being diverted to the Krishna River. As Tamil Nadu will benefit more from Cauvery, Karnataka and Pondicherry want to allocate that amount to them as well. Tamil Nadu is the state that will benefit the most from this connectivity so that alone is a positive thing. It is not possible for the Center to ignore the views of the States and proceed. The Center has proposed that if Chhattisgarh does not agree, 50 percent of the water will be used according to availability. According to the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal 75% water availability, the lower united Andhra Pradesh has the right to use the rest of the water, despite the allocations made to the states. That means Telangana and Andhra Pradesh at present. A tribunal is likely to be formed soon to decide the exact share and water usage between these two states. It remains to be seen to what extent Telangana will agree to the latest proposal, which has the opportunity to decide how much net water and surplus water can be utilized and design projects according to their needs. Chhattisgarh and Telugu states have to agree with the Centre's proposal for this scheme to go ahead. The next question is whether the center can undertake this project by providing the necessary funds. If the states do not agree and cooperate, it will not be possible to move forward with this project.
Availability of funds
The Center has estimated that the Godavari-Kaveri link will cost Rs 85,962 crore. Applying inflated prices during construction, the cost of land acquisition and resettlement will cost around one lakh crore rupees. This amount has to be borne by the Centre. Over the years, the central expenditure on the construction of irrigation projects has decreased. In terms of river connectivity itself, Ken-Betwa linking, which will benefit Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has received all the approvals, but there has not been much progress. Even after giving national status to Polavaram, we continue to see delays in release of funds and non-approval of total expenditure. In these circumstances, the question is whether it is possible to spend an average of Rs.20 thousand crores per year in five years. The cost of running the projects in the states is not collected from the farmers. Under this project, it has been included in the DPR that there should be an appropriate price for water and it should be charged at the rate of Rs.1,500 per hectare.
- ML Narasimha Reddy
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Su took a step forward in the long-debated Godavari-Kaveri river linking process. But the main question is whether this step will be limited to papers or will materialize. Getting the consent of partner states and the need for huge funding are both major problems. Overcoming both is not an easy task. Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna-Penna-Kaveri is one of the interlinking of rivers undertaken in the country. Combined Andhra Pradesh has been saying that there is no surplus in Mahanadi and Odisha and Godavari water is only sufficient for their needs. However, they have stated that they have no objection to the connection if the water is diverted from above. Not a single step has been taken apart from discussions on this.
Water for the new armpit
Before the last Lok Sabha elections, the National Water Development Authority (NWDA) had prepared a project report to divert water from Akinepalli between Devada-Dummugudem to the Grand Dam on Cauvery via Nagarjunasagar-Somashila. Even if the states are not positive - the Union Ministry of Water Power has said that the unused water allocated to Chhattisgarh in the Indravati will be diverted. It was pending due to Telangana's objection that Nagarjunasagar Ayakattu area would be lost in land acquisition if taken from Akinepally. It was decided to change it and take it from Ichchampally via Nagarjunasagar. Accordingly, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh also have an advantage. Along with irrigation of the new hymen, fixation of the old hymen is done. The Union Hydropower Ministry is of the opinion that these two states may not object. The target is to build a barrage at Ichchampally and divert 247 TMC of flood water in 143 days at a rate of 2.2 TMC per day and give 9.44 lakh hectares of land for cultivation, drinking and industrial purposes. Chennai has a separate allocation for drinking and industrial needs. Water is diverted from June to October. 1,211 km for this purpose. A long canal has to be dug. The downstream projects are likely to be impacted by the diversion of water in June and October. Since the water coming in June cannot be considered as flood water, it is necessary to get clear in advance on how much flood flow should be diverted.
Projects not moving forward..
The main doubt is whether the states will agree to the merger. According to the project report... Chhattisgarh did not agree. Maharashtra has expressed some objections and doubts. Of the 247 TMC to be diverted through this scheme, 176.5 TMC is surplus available between Sri Ramasagar-Ichchampally, while the rest is allocated to Chhattisgarh in Indrawati and is yet to be used. Originally the river linking plan was to take water from Mahanadi in Odisha to Cauvery via Godavari-Krishna-Penna. As the Center discussed with Odisha but there was no result, it was decided to take up the Brahmaputra-Ganga-Suvarnarekha-Mahanadi-Godavari link, and in the meantime, as a first step, the excess water in Godavari, which Chhattisgarh cannot use, should be diverted. But it is not possible to say how many decades it will take to connect Brahmaputra-Godavari. Because even after two decades of talking about river connectivity, there has not been much progress.
Although the Center prepared a DPR to divert water from Akinepally to Cauvery, but due to the lack of positive feedback from the states, it has recently been changed to divert water from Ichchampally. It is said that this change was made on the suggestion of Telangana, but it remains to be seen to what extent Telangana will agree to the proposal to divert the surplus from the Mahanadi to the Godavari. There is no possibility of agreeing with the National Water Development Corporation, which says that there is a surplus between Telangana-Sri Ramasagar-Ichchampally, which says that there is no objection to diversion if there is a surplus between their needs. Although the ruling BJP government in Chhattisgarh did not express positive when this proposal was first made, it did not express opposition. But the current ruling Congress government has already opposed it. It said that they could not divert their share and planned to fully utilize it. It has been revealed that a multipurpose project has been proposed with 169 TMC at Bothghat on the Indrawati. Maharashtra has said that they have an allocation of 40 TMC in Indrawati and they are planning to use the water that cannot be used here due to the dense forest area in the adjacent basin.
If states cooperate...
Andhra Pradesh is of the opinion that Telangana has proposed projects with 1,355 TMC of 954.23 TMC in Godavari, and the National Water Development Corporation has not taken this issue into consideration as it will cause problems due to blocking the flow from upstream. In addition, they said that they are facing a problem as they are undertaking projects with 200 TMC from Godavari to Banakacherla and 320 TMC for Godavari-Penna connection. However, AP has not revealed a clear stand on this till now. Karnataka and Maharashtra are demanding a share of the Godavari water being diverted to the Krishna River. As Tamil Nadu will benefit more from Cauvery, Karnataka and Pondicherry want to allocate that amount to them as well. Tamil Nadu is the state that will benefit the most from this connectivity so that alone is a positive thing. It is not possible for the Center to ignore the views of the States and proceed. The Center has proposed that if Chhattisgarh does not agree, 50 percent of the water will be used according to availability. According to the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal 75% water availability, the lower united Andhra Pradesh has the right to use the rest of the water, despite the allocations made to the states. That means Telangana and Andhra Pradesh at present. A tribunal is likely to be formed soon to decide the exact share and water usage between these two states. It remains to be seen to what extent Telangana will agree to the latest proposal, which has the opportunity to decide how much net water and surplus water can be utilized and design projects according to their needs. Chhattisgarh and Telugu states have to agree with the Centre's proposal for this scheme to go ahead. The next question is whether the center can undertake this project by providing the necessary funds. If the states do not agree and cooperate, it will not be possible to move forward with this project.
Availability of funds
The Center has estimated that the Godavari-Kaveri link will cost Rs 85,962 crore. Applying inflated prices during construction, the cost of land acquisition and resettlement will cost around one lakh crore rupees. This amount has to be borne by the Centre. Over the years, the central expenditure on the construction of irrigation projects has decreased. In terms of river connectivity itself, Ken-Betwa linking, which will benefit Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has received all the approvals, but there has not been much progress. Even after giving national status to Polavaram, we continue to see delays in release of funds and non-approval of total expenditure. In these circumstances, the question is whether it is possible to spend an average of Rs.20 thousand crores per year in five years. The cost of running the projects in the states is not collected from the farmers. Under this project, it has been included in the DPR that there should be an appropriate price for water and it should be charged at the rate of Rs.1,500 per hectare.
- ML Narasimha Reddy
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