It's up to Tungabhadra Board to modernise canal: State, AP

Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on Monday decided to leave it to the Tungabhadra Board to decide on the latter’s proposal for modernisation of the 190-km Tungabhadra Right Bank Canal (TRBC).

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu held in the presence of ministers and top officials from both the states in Bengaluru.

Andhra Pradesh has sought modernisation of the high-level and low-level canals of TRBC which passes through four districts - Ballari in Karnataka and Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. The modernisation of TRBC, build in 1953, would help in plugging leakages.

Siddaramaiah said Karnataka had no objection to the modernisation as long as there was no modification of the original capacity of canal flow and the proposal was in conformity with the issue settled by the tribunal for water sharing.

Siddaramaiah said the matter was also to be considered by the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam and the technical committee of the Irrigation department, which will submit a report to the Board. He said the two states would abide by the decision of the Board.

The chairman of the Board is nominated by the Centre and has representatives from the governments of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as its members. It regulates water for irrigation, hydropower generation from the Tungabhadra reservoir.

Naidu said modernisation of canal was necessary to protect the interests of both the states and also to plug leakage. “We will work together as it is a matter of mutual interest. The final decision will be taken by the Board,” Naidu said.

Replying to queries, Siddaramaiah said the total silt build-up in Tunga dam had reduced the original storage capacity by 32 tmc ft (25 per cent of the original storage capacity).
Storage capacity was getting reduced by 0.45 tmc ft every year due to silt build-up, he said.