The Babli is located at a distance of around ten kilometers from Andhra Pradesh border. No dam or project is permitted at such a distance from other state border. As a result of Babli and others, the flow of water into Sriram Sagar project in Andhra Pradesh is obstructed. In the last two years  Kharif crop is lost in the Sriram Sagar command area. No where in the  world, one finds a project  within a project.  Every drop of  water in the Babli and every drop of water taken from Babli is in fact water that should flow into Sriram Sagar  and irrigate lands in Andhra Pradesh. The Sriram Sagar project is originally designed to irrigate about 16 lakh acres. But, due to siltation this has reduced to only ten lakh acres. Thanks to Maharashtra’s water theft due to illegal projects, the Sriram Sagar project is facing a threat to its survival.

With the arrest of N.ChandraBabu Naidu and other political leaders from  Andhra Pradesh by Maharashtra police  has once again sparked off  the Babli row. Andhra Pradesh has been opposing Babli and 11 other projects on Godavari river in Maharashtra on the ground that they violate the Tribunal Accords. The Maharashtra government was never transparent on this issue. If its argument that these projects are not illegal is true, Why should the Maharashtra  government prevent the inspection of these projects by leaders from AndhraPradesh including the former Chief Minister and prominent politician like N.ChandraBabu Naidu. This itself is a prima facie evidence to reveal that the Maharashtra government is resorting to illegal construction of projects robbing the Andhra Pradesh waters. The riparian rights of Andhra Pradesh are at stake here. The life and economy of northern Telangana is under threat due to Babli and its eleven associate projects.

Infact, the Babli and eleven other projects are not the projects in real sense. They are not even dams. The deceitful act of Maharashtra government has to be closely understood here. They are something like bridges. But, gates are erected to stop the flow of water underneath. Thus stopped water is drawn into the fields by lift irrigation . The water is continuously drawn instead of storing the water in reservoirs. The Babli can stop little over two TMCs of water. But as the water is drawn continuously through lift irrigation , Maharashtra utilizes about 20 to30 TMCs of water. Before the Babli eleven small bridge cum dams are constructed each having a capacity of stopping less than one TMC of water. The Central Water Commission (CWC) permission is not necessary for less than one TMC capacity as they are primarily aimed at drinking water purposes. But, in a deceitful manner , Maharashtra is drawing about 80 to 90 TMCs of water through Babli and eleven other such dams. This is contrary to the allocation made by tribunals . Maharashtra is violating the CWC norms, international rules, conventions, etc.

The Babli is located at a distance of around ten kilometers from Andhra Pradesh border. No dam or project is permitted at such a distance from other state border. As a result of Babli and others, the flow of water into Sriram Sagar project in Andhra Pradesh is obstructed. In the last two years  Kharif crop is lost in the Sriram Sagar command area. The Sri Ram Sagar project if stores water to its full level the submergence area will be upto 125 kms up stream. In this75 kms are in Andhra Pradesh and the other 50 kms are in Maharashtra . The Andhra pradesh government has already paid the compensation for submergence of villages in Maharashtra. But, the Babli is now located with in ten kms from Andhra Pradesh border. This means the Babli is within the foreshore area   of  Sriram Sagar. No where in the  world, one finds a project  within a project.  Every drop of  water in the Babli and every drop of water taken from Babli is in fact water that should flow into Sriram Sagar  and irrigate lands in Andhra Pradesh .

Sriram Sagar project irrigates lakhs  of acres in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Nalgonda, Khammam and Warangal districts in the backward Telangana area. In fact, there is no sufficient water in Godavari river till Pranahita, Indravati tributaries join Godavari river near the pilgrim town of kaleshwaram.  The Maharashtra is resorting to water theft from this water starved area.  Several projects like Ichampally , Pranahita, Penu Ganga etc., were not taken up . This region now affected by Babli  is without adequate irrigation facility.  The Sriram Sagar project is originally designed to irrigate about 16 lakh acres. But, due to siltation this has reduced to only ten lakh acres. Thanks to Maharashtra’s water theft due to illegal projects, the Sriram Sagar project is facing a threat to its survival.

The only solution now is to exert political pressure on the central government to intervene and ensure that Maharashtra do not resort to such a deceit.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

SUPREME COURT ON BABLI PROJECT

FOR MORE ARTCLES OF THE AUTHOR

For Prof.K. Nageswar Etv2 programme on Babli

ETV2 Prathi-Dhwani – Disussion on Babli Project & TDP Babli Yatra – 01