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Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday evening left Hyderabad for Mumbai to discuss the proposed Tummidihatti barrage with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Revanth Reddy will meet Fadnavis at 11 am on Monday at the Sahyadri State Guest House in Mumbai. Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior officials of the Irrigation Department will also participate in the meeting. The discussions will focus on the proposed construction of the Tummidihatti barrage across the Pranahita river, a tributary of the Godavari, and the inter-state clearances required for the project. Telangana is seeking Maharashtras consent to construct the barrage at a Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 152 metres. Maharashtra had earlier agreed to a height of 148 metres, but the Telangana government maintains that this level would not enable it to divert the required quantity of water. During a review meeting on October 23, Revanth Reddy directed irrigation officials to prepare the necessary technical reports and details on water availability, the proposed barrage height and the extent of land likely to be affected by submergence in Maharashtra. According to the Irrigation Department officials who briefed the Chief Minister, a barrage at an FRL of 152 metres would result in the submergence of approximately 2,300 acres in Maharashtra, while the impact at 150 metres would be less than 1,000 acres. Officials also stated that no villages in Maharashtra would be submerged. The Telangana government intends to use the proposed barrage to improve irrigation facilities in northern Telangana, particularly in the undivided Adilabad district. The project is planned to provide irrigation to around two lakh acres, according to the state government. The Chief Minister has directed officials to keep the details of earlier discussions held under the Central Water Commission in New Delhi ready and submit any additional information sought by the commission. The meeting with Fadnavis is expected to provide an opportunity for Telangana to present its case for the proposed barrage height and discuss the pending inter-state issues concerning the project. (ANI)
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