Telangana irrigation projects await President Pranab Mukherjee's nod

Hyderabad: Officials have told the TS government that it was not possible to acquire land for ongoing irrigation projects till the new Land Acquisition Bill that was passed recently by the Assembly becomes an Act. Major irrigation minister T. Harish Rao held a meeting with top officials of the Irrigation department late on Sunday. The meeting was also attended by advocate-general K. Ramakrishna Reddy, law secretary A. Santosh Reddy and special chief secretary (Revenue) M.G. Gopal.  

In the wake of the High Court’s recent order on the land acquisition GO, Mr Harish Rao held discussions with officials to identify alternative methods to acquire land for irrigation projects. Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan has sent the Land Acquisition Bill to the President for approval. Officials believe that if necessary, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will visit New Delhi to meet President Pranab Mukherjee to explain about the Bill. However, the Chief Minister’s Office said as of now, that there was no such proposal.

The state government is hopeful of getting the President’s approval at the earliest. Officials said that according to High Court orders, except for irrigation projects, the government can acquire land for projects like widening of  National and state highways. Land acquisition for irrigation projects has become a major problem for the TS government.

Officials say that for construction of barrages at Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla under the Kaleswaram project, nearly 2,500 acres are required and the contractors are in possession of only 550 acres. For the Palamur–Ranga Reddy project, about 30,000 acres is required and the government has acquired 14,000 acres. Officials said until the new Act comes into force, the government may be unable to go ahead with the projects.