The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Project on RDS poses threat to State: panel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Project on RDS poses threat to State: panel

By M. Malleswara Rao

HYDERABAD, APRIL 11. Water used by the Swarna Power Project being executed by a relative of the Chief Minister on the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) cannot be transferred into the irrigation canal serving Mahabubnagar district. This is the conclusion of a technical committee constituted by the Government. In its report, the committee held that such a transfer, sought by Mahabubnagar farmers, is "technically impossible" as the canal is located on a higher contour compared to the project's tail-race tunnel for letting out the used waters back into the river. As a way out, it has proposed the project be built further upstream to minimise its impact on the canal, sources revealed to The Hindu here today.

Water problem

The panel also ruled out availability of sufficient waters for Swarna, citing the inflows chart since 1998. It held that the project is unviable as it would be able to use only 2 MW of its designed capacity 4.5 MW.

If the project was to be taken up, its minimum drawdown level (MDDL) should be fixed at 1,089 ft and not 1,083 ft as now.

The seven-ft gap now would ensure at least minimum flows to the canal, it said.

The committee felt that the construction of a power project at the present site by a private party would be detrimental to the interests of Mahabubnagar and wanted it brought under the purview of the Tungabhadra Board which has Central representatives.

Or else, the project should be taken up by the Andhra Pradesh or the Karnataka Government.

If compensation was to be paid to the Chief Minister's relative for the expenditure made so far, " it is the lookout of Karnataka." The panel felt that Karnataka had erred by clearing the project without the knowledge of Andhra Pradesh though the latter had 93 per cent stake over the RDS waters.

It wanted a strong letter to be addressed to the Karnataka Government. It proposed closure of the three hume pipes still open to the Kurnool side as Swarna would give the area its share as also modernisation of the RDS.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh