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Srikakulam: Tribunal verdict clears decks for Neradi barrage
Location where barrage is proposed to be constructed across Vamsadhara river at Neradi village of Bhamini mandal in Srikakulam district
- Officials call for quick legal, administrative steps to pre-empt any further hurdles for the project on Vamsadhara river
- Now AP is using only 17.5 tmc ft water from Vamsadhara river through Gotta barrage and plans to use 19.5 tmc ft more through the ongoing reservoir at Hiramandal, bringing the total to 37 tmc ft
Srikakulam: Quick legal and administrative steps are essential to start Neradi barrage works to get water from Vamsadhara to fill reservoir at Hiramandal in the wake of final verdict Vamsadhara Tribunal, opine engineering officials of Vamsadhara and irrigation projects. As per Central Water Commission (CWC) estimates, total available water in Vamsadhara river is 105 tmc feet.
The river originates in Odisha state and covers 154 kilometre distance in the state and later enters Srikakulam district. It flows 82 km before merging in Bay of Bengal. Based on the available water, 57.5 tmc feet water is allotted to Odisha and the remaining 57.5 tmc feet to Andhra Pradesh.
Former chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy laid foundation stone in 2005 for the reservoir to store 19.5 tmc feet water from Vamsadhara at Hiramandal. Opposing this, Odisha government began launched legal action alleging plans by AP to snatch away its share of water. The Supreme Court appointed a tribunal on 24 February 2010 to settle the matter.
The tribunal conducted field-level inspections, received evidence and heard arguments of both states before finally delivering its verdict on Monday, June 21. It directed Odisha state government to hand over 106 acres land to AP which would be submerged if the barrage was finished at Neradi. The 106 acre is located in Odisha state and by showing this as a reason, Odisha has been creating hurdles for the project for the last 10 years.
Currently, Andhra Pradesh is using only 17.5 tmc ft water from Vamsadhara river through an existing barrage at Gotta. Another 19.5 tmc feet ft water will be used through the ongoing reservoir at Hiramandal, bringing the total to 37 tmc ft from its allotted share of 57.5 tmc ft. With completion of barrage at Neradi, the state will have get the total water required for reservoir.
"The Central government has to release notification in the gazette for hand over of 106 acre to AP by Odisha so that works can be started. Also, the state government needs to file caveat in Supreme Court to prevent Odisha to create further hurdles," said chief engineer (CE) for irrigation projects in north coastal AP, Sambangi Sugunakar and Vamsadhara project superintendent engineer (SE), Dola Tirumala Rao.
