The barrage over Babhali

While Maharashtra may have found a way out of the mess it found itself in over the arrest of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu...

While Maharashtra may have found a way out of the mess it found itself in over the arrest of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu by releasing him,it certainly hasnt seen the last of the protests over the Babhali barrage. The Indian Express looks at key questions pertaining to the barrage,which are raising political temperatures across the states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

What is the Babhali barrage?

The Babhali barrage is a dam being constructed 83 km from Nanded on the Godavari river. It is 7 km upstream of Maharashtras border with Andhra Pradesh and is expected to provide water for 58 villages and irrigate 7,995 hectares of land in Nanded district. Administrative approval was given to the barrage in Dharmabad taluka on March 10,1995. The barrage is estimated to cost Rs 220.90 crore and the government has spent Rs 165 crore. Work started in August 2004 and the completion deadline was 2009.

What is the present status of the project?

The work of the barrage is nearly complete. Some works like electrification for operation of the gates of the barrage and construction of a generator room and an inspection chowki are in progress.

Why is Andhra Pradesh opposed to it?

The Andhra Pradesh government complained to the Central government in 2005 that Maharashtra had violated the Godavari Water Dispute Agreement of 1975 by undertaking the construction of the barrage in the backwaters of Pochampad dam Sriram Sagar Project. It feels that the barrage will reduce the flow of water to the Sriram Sagar Project SSP.

What has the Centre done about the objections?

The Central Water Commission conducted two joint meetings with officials from both the states. A meeting with chief ministers of both states was held on April 4,2006. A technical committee was formed to go into the details and submit a report by May 20,2006. It was also decided that status quo be maintained on the Babhali project. Two meetings of the technical panel were held,but no report was submitted.

How did the dispute reach the courts?

The Andhra Pradesh government filed a suit in the Supreme Court in July 2006 under Article 131 of the Constitution against the Maharashtra government. It prayed for a permanent injunction restraining Maharashtra from undertaking or proceeding with the construction of the Babhali barrage within the reservoir area of SSP. The apex court issued an interim order on April 26,2007,saying that Maharashtra could go ahead with the construction of the Babhali barrage but should not install its gates. The Supreme Court said Maharashtra would proceed with the project at its own risk and not claim any equity due to the construction being done by it.

The next hearing is scheduled on August 5,2010.

What is the Maharashtra governments stand?

The Maharashtra government says the barrage is being constructed within its territory,about 7 km upstream of its border with Andhra Pradesh,and that it is within the limits of the share of water decided by the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal award of 1975. The Maharashtra government also says that the Supreme court has allowed it to continue with the construction of the barrage and it is honouring the directives by not impounding the water.

What is N Chandrababu Naidus objection?

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Naidu says Maharashtra has violated the Supreme Court order and is building gates at the Babhali barrage to impound water,which would deprive Telangana of its share. With crucial bypolls coming up in Telangana soon,the issue has acquired fresh urgency.