Sharing waters, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, along with the Union Jal Shakti Minister, inaugurated 33 new spillway gates of the Tungabhadra Dam on June 25.
• The dam, located in Karnataka's Koppal district, is considered a lifeline for the three southern states, irrigating approximately 16.4 lakh acres.
• The new high-grade steel gates, costing ₹51 crore, are expected to last 60 years, replacing a temporary gate installed after a crest gate was washed away in August 2024.
• The event saw pledges for greater inter-state cooperation, despite existing differences over projects like the Upper Bhadra project.

TungaBhadra.png

Detailed Insights:

• The Tungabhadra Dam has historically been managed with an established water-sharing formula and regulation by the Tungabhadra Board.
• The dam's storage capacity has been reduced from an original 133 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) to about 106 tmc ft due to excessive siltation.
• The Upper Bhadra project, a lift irrigation scheme in central Karnataka, is a point of contention for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
• The Union government had initially provisioned ₹5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project in the 2023-24 budget, but it is now being implemented by a Karnataka government undertaking.
• The Union Jal Shakti Minister has assured plans to remove silt from water reservoirs nationwide, including the Tungabhadra Dam.
• The Centre is also expected to monitor and expedite Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Projects across 19 states to ensure dam safety.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Tungabhadra Board: A statutory body established to regulate the water releases and management of the Tungabhadra Dam.
• Upper Bhadra Project: A major lift irrigation scheme in Karnataka aimed at providing water to drought-prone regions.
• Inter-State Water Disputes: Conflicts between states over the sharing and management of river waters, often resolved through tribunals or boards.
• Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP): A World Bank-assisted project by the Government of India to improve the safety and operational performance of selected dams.