Congress Government Delayed Tummidihatti Talks - Harish Rao

Former Telangana minister T. Harish Rao has criticised the Congress government over the delay in holding discussions on the proposed Tummidihatti barrage project. He claimed that the Maharashtra government had agreed in principle to the proposal earlier, but the Congress government was taking up discussions only after nearly 1,000 days in power. Harish Rao said the previous BRS government had initiated discussions within 42 days of assuming office and made several efforts to secure approval for constructing the barrage at a height of 152 metres. He alleged that the Congress was responsible for delays both in the past and at present. According to him, despite repeated efforts, Maharashtra did not agree to the proposed increase in the barrage’s height.

Harish Rao also referred to assessments by the Central Water Commission (CWC), stating that the commission had indicated that 160 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water would not be available at Tummidihatti. He said the CWC had written to the authorities asking them to explore an alternative. He further claimed that the commission had granted approval for a water allocation of 240 TMC at Medigadda. According to Harish Rao, constructing a barrage at Tummidihatti would not provide Telangana with sufficient water to meet its requirements. His remarks have reignited the debate over the choice of project location, water availability and the time taken to reach an agreement with Maharashtra. The claims reflect Harish Rao’s position on the issue; the relevant official correspondence and approvals would be needed to independently verify the details.