Hyderabad, 26 October (H.S.): Telangana and Maharashtra will constitute a joint committee to examine Telangana's proposal to raise the height of the proposed Tummidihatti barrage on the Pranahita river from 148 metres to 152 metres, following talks between Chief Ministers A. Revanth Reddy and Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Monday.

The committee, headed by the Principal Secretaries of the Irrigation Departments of the two states, will examine the proposed height, water availability, submergence implications, affected agricultural land, compensation requirements and other technical issues.

Fadnavis responded positively to Telangana's proposal, saying Maharashtra would consider supporting the project if it did not adversely affect the state or its people. He said technical, environmental and administrative aspects would need to be assessed before a final decision was taken.

During the meeting, Telangana Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said efforts to provide irrigation facilities to the region had been underway since October 6, 1975. Despite several initiatives and discussions over five decades, the aspirations of the people remained largely unfulfilled, he said.

Reddy said the 2016 agreement, which provided for a barrage height of 148 metres, would not adequately meet the region's irrigation requirements. He outlined the technical and operational advantages of raising the height to 152 metres.

Revanth Reddy said the project could support irrigation and contribute to the social and economic development of tribal communities in the region. He added that the barrage could strengthen connectivity and economic cooperation between communities on both sides of the Telangana-Maharashtra border.

The proposed barrage is to be built across the Pranahita river near Tummidihatti village in Koutala mandal of Telangana's Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.

Revanth Reddy also invited Fadnavis to attend the Invest Telangana Global Summit, scheduled to be held at Future City in Hyderabad from December 7 to 9.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar