Date:28/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/28/stories/2007032821440100.htm

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All-party team for Delhi tomorrow

M. Malleswara Rao

State not to focus on ten Maharashtra barrages now

HYDERABAD: The State Government, for the time being, will not focus on 10 other barrages being taken up by Maharashtra on the Godavari and instead use its efforts to win the ongoing fight against the Babli project.

The Government has finalised a strategy to adopt this two-way approach.

Storage to go up

As part of this, an all-party delegation, headed by Major Irrigation Minister P. Lakshmaiah, will meet the Prime Minister in New Delhi on Thursday seeking justice on the "immediate danger" from Babli, but it will not force his attention on the barrages.

The Government, indeed, received confirmed information that Maharashtra had also taken up 10 barrages upstream of the Babli without clearance from the Central Water Commission.

Their storage, clubbed with Babli (2.7 tmcft), will go up to 7.27 tmcft.

10 barrages

This implies an additional utilisation of nearly 20 tmcft by that State, cutting into the share of Sriramsagar project, which has already a developed ayacut of over seven lakh acres (with paddy as the main crop) in six Telangana districts.

The 10 barrages--Digras, Muli, Mudgal, Dhalegaon, Loni Savangi, Raja Takali, Mangrul, Jogila Devi, Apegaon and Amdeore-- will be in violation of the 1975 inter-State agreement signed by Maharashtra facilitating the construction of Sriramsagar.

They have no allocations as Maharashtra has already exhausted its quota of 60 tmcft.

Nonetheless, the Government will keep mum on them as any mention at this juncture may force opening of a bigger issue by the Supreme Court, where hearing on the Babli has reached a crucial stage.

Meanwhile, the State legal team has been asked to file an "advancement injunction petition" before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, seeking stoppage of Babli work.

Tense atmosphere

With political parties in Maharashtra also being alert over protecting their State interest, a tense atmosphere is prevailing at Babli.

Four days ago, Andhra Pradesh officials who visited the site to elicit information were chased away by locals.

However, the State completed the Saloora project, on Maharashtra border, without any problems.