Karna, AP agree for modernisation of Tungabhadra canal

Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments today agreed for modernisation of Tungabhadra right bank and high and low level canals.
This was decided at a meeting between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Andhra counterpart Chandrababu Naidu and Ministers and senior officials of both states here.
Speaking at a joint press briefing along with Naidu, Siddaramaiah said both governments had decided to go ahead with the modernisation without altering the original capacity of the canal flow, without affecting the issues settled by the tribunal on sharing of waters and also the pending cases before the Supreme Court.
"This is purely regarding modernisation of high level right bank canal and low level canals..." he added.

Explaining the procedures that need to be undergone to realise the modernisation plan, Siddaramaiah said after Karnataka Niravari Nigama (irrigation corporation) considering the proposal from Andhra Pradesh, the technical sub-committee of the water resource department will thoroughly examine it and submit a report to the Tungabhadra Board.
The board headed by the representative from Central Water Resources Ministry consists of representatives from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and also Telangana.

"We will go ahead with the project only after getting a green signal from the board," Siddaramaiah said.
Naidu said modernisation of canals is necessary to protect the interests of both the states as the flow of water is not proper on both the sides, about 105 km in Karnataka and remaining in Andhra Pradesh.

The Tungabhadra Board was constituted in 1953 for regulating water for irrigation, hydropower generation and other uses from the reservoir.
The dam, a joint project of both the states located near Hospet in Karnataka, is constructed across Tungabhadra River, which starts in the state and flows through Andhra Pradesh.