Maharashtra, Telangana sign pact on Godavari water sharing

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis (left) clasps hands with Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao at Sahyadri guesthouse on Tuesday. (Photo: Shripad Naik)

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Telangana chief minister Chandrashekhar Rao signed a treaty on Tuesday for the sharing of water, assuring that no village from either state would henceforth be submerged. The Telangana government will build three barrages — Tumadiheti on the Pranhita River, Medigatta on the Godavari River and Chanakha Korta on the Painganga River — that would benefit both the states. Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli, Yavatmal and Chandrapur districts will benefit and 30,000 hectares (ha) of land will be irrigated as a result. “We are happy that Telangana has cooperated with us on the use of water. The issues with the earlier government are resolved. I have requested the Telangana CM to protect the state’s interests in the dispute over the Krishna River as well,” Mr Fadnavis said. The Telangana government will fund the construction of the barrages, and land acquisition too.

The decision was taken at the state government’s official Sahyadri guesthouse on Tuesday during the first meeting of an inter-state board for joint irrigation projects between Maharashtra and Telangana.

Mr Fadnavis allayed the fear that people in the bordering Gadchiroli district have of it being flooded. “We have now developed a proper mechanism to control flooding. I would like to assure the people that their villages would not be flooded,” he said. The height of Tumadiheti has been reduced to 148m from 152m. About 113ha of land in Gadchiroli will go under water due to this barrage. The height of Medigatta would be 100m, bringing under 150ha of land under water, while 1,214ha of land would be submerged under water due to the Chanakha Korta barrage. But no village or house would go under water anywhere, Mr Fadnavis said.

The Telangana CM, on his part, termed the treaty historic. “Problems can be resolved if properly coordinated. Water from Godavari and Pranhita will be used by both states. The projects will take two years to reach fruition,” Mr Rao said.