KCR pumps up drinking water projects on first day in new office

HYDERABAD: BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, in his first meeting at the newly inaugurated Secretariat building, on Monday directed officials to speed up the drinking water component of the Palamuru Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme (PRLIS).

The CM reviewed the progress of the project works at the meeting with ministries and officials after the Supreme Court granted permission to continue the drinking water works under PRLIS. Rao additionally discussed the progress of the drinking water supply works for erstwhile Mahbubnagar and Ranga Reddy districts, and issued orders to officials to supply water to Karivena reservoir by July and lift water up to Uddandapur by August of this year.

Officials have been directed to complete the pending works at the reservoirs of Narlapur, Edula, Vattem, Karivena, and Uddandapur. The CM also directed officials to complete the remaining works on pump houses, power substations, and the 'conveyor system' that is used to shift water from one reservoir to another as well as reviewed the progress of the Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Bhima, and Koil Sagar projects in the Palamuru district. The CM ordered the officials to complete the remaining works by June this year.

The Supreme Court (SC) in February this year stayed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order imposing Rs. 500 crore penalty on Telangana government for violating environmental rules while constructing PRLIS. However, the SC allowed the Telangana government to undertake the drinking water component works up to 7.15 TMC in accordance with environmental clearances.

The Telangana government had moved the SC against the NGT order, following which it stayed the order.

Last December, the NGT had stayed PRLIS works on the grounds of green violations by the Telangana government while constructing the PRLIS and imposed a fine of Rs. 500 crore.

Further, the NGT directed the Telangana government to obtain permission from the Apex Council of the Centre before proceeding with the construction of its irrigation projects. It also mandated the Telangana government to obtain environmental clearance for screening, scoping, public consultation, and appraisal before proceeding with PRLIS.