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Legal hurdles hamper irrigation projects
Irrigation projects in Telangana are facing legal hurdles and hit a roadblock. There are as many as 30 cases filed against the construction of the projects on various grounds before the High Court and also National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Nearly 30 cases filed against projects in HC and NGT
Hyderabad: Irrigation projects in Telangana are facing legal hurdles and hit a roadblock. There are as many as 30 cases filed against the construction of the projects on various grounds before the High Court and also National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The highest number of writ petitions and PILs has been filed against the controversial Palamuru- Ranga Reddy lift irrigation project. Five PIL (Public Interest Litigations) and eight other writ petitions are pending in the court. This project was taken up at the cost of Rs 40,000 crore last year. Two petitions against the project on environmental grounds were also filed in green tribunal.
Most of the petitions filed by opponents against the Palamuru lift irrigation projects raised objections over change in the design. The officials of the Irrigation Department explained it to The Hans India that the TRS government changed the design of the project so that there would be maximum utilisation of water from the Krishna river for drinking purposes and irrigation needs in the previous south Telangana districts of Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda and Hyderabad.
The other major project facing legal hurdle is the controversial Mallannasagar reservoir project. Nearly ten writ petitions were filed in the High Court challenging the procedure adopted in the land acquisition for the reservoir being taken up with 50 tmc ft of capacity in previous Medak district.
The project would take care of the water needs of Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad and Warangal districts. Similarly, three writ petitions were filed against Mid Manair, two petitions on Anantagiri reservoir and one PIL each against Dindi and Kaleswaram projects.
While on the one hand land acquisition for the ongoing projects has been stopped after the High Court struck down the GO123, on the other hand the petitions lodged before the court delayed the project works which have to be completed by 2018.
The government targeted to create nearly 20 lakh acres of new ayacut under the ongoing projects. It has already created 4 lakh acres of new ayacut by completing Kalwakurthy lift irrigation scheme, Singur, Yellampally, Mathadivagu, Gaddennavagu and AMRP low-level canal in the last two years.
Officials said the obstruction of projects by creating legal hurdles would also put heavy burden on state exchequer as the cost of the project works would escalate.
