Land acquisition stalls Godavari water scheme

 

The project, scheduled to reach trial stage in July, is crucial for Hyderabad as it will feed areas in the city’s fringes. The Godavari Phase-I, which is at its final stage, is facing land acquisition hurdles from the forest department. The project is held up at Mallaram Ring Main II, where land acquisition is essential. The Water Board has brought the matter to the Chief Minister’s notice, said an insider. 

 

“Though other components of this project are moving at a brisk pace, the land acquisition for Ring Main II is yet to be done. However, Water Board MD Jagadeeshwar Rao has coordinated with the Forest department and asked for acquisition of land given the urgency of the project,” said an insider. 

 

Meanwhile M. Satyanarayana, director (Project), Water Board, said, “The land acquisition issue has already been sorted out. We recently held a meeting with agencies involved to expedite the process and complete it by June 30.” The Water Board has already paid Rs 2.7 crore to the Forest department for the 50 acre of land acquired. The money is for plantation of trees in the compensatory afforestation land the Board is providing at Murmur in Karimnagar district.

 

Godavari Phase-I, a Rs 3,375-crore project, which aims to draw 172 mgd (10 tmc) of water to the city, is progressing at a brisk pace. So far, pipelines have been laid for 138 km out of the total length of 186 km.