Karnataka gets help from Telangana over water issue

Hyderabad: In a goodwill gesture, Telangana responded positively to an SOS received from Karnataka for sparing part of its water share from Tungabhadra to meet its drinking water needs as well as irrigate Rabi crops.

The command area of Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) in Raichur district of Karnataka has been facing acute water scarcity. This part is reeling under drought for the last four years.

Karnataka Irrigation Minister MB Patil accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues Tanvir Shet, Minister for Education and Santosh Lad, Minister for employment, called on the TS Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao in Jalasoudha and urged him to allow their State to utilise the TS share water from the RDS.

Karnataka Ministers assured Telangana that they would ensure release of 2 tmc on demand from its Narayanpur dam to the Jurala project at any point of time.

When Mahabubnagar district was caught in the grips of acute scarcity conditions almost a year ago, TS also made a similar request to Karnataka and got 1 TMC of water released from Narayanpur.

Telangana had an entitlement for 3.5 tmc from the RDS in the season. As part of its Rabi action plan, irrigated dry crops were permitted in over 7,000 acres in Alampur area in Jogulamba Gadwal district and the State would require about 1 TMC to support the crops in the area. The irrigation engineers of both the States were tasked responsibility of assessing the water requirement in Alampur area.

Harish Rao had assured the Karnataka Ministers that the State would be able to spare rest of the water available as part of its share to meet the needs of Karnataka. He assured them of conveying the State decision on their request after discussing the issue with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

He also thanked the Karnataka government for responding positively to the requests of the State to meet its water needs in time of emergency.

The RDS left canal provides irrigation water in Raichur district and Mahabubnagar district for which the Bachawat Tribunal 17.1 tmc to its left canal of which 15.9 tmc was exclusively meant for the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district. Farmers under the RDS left canal were seldom happy because it is hardly giving them 8 to 10 tmc against their entitlement of 15.9 tmc.