SC allows review of proposal for additional water lifting from Godavari through KLIS

HYDERABAD: In a significant ruling that benefits the Telangana government, the Supreme Court on Monday amended its previous orders maintaining a status quo on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) and allowed the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) and the Central Water Commission (CWC) to review proposals for the lifting of an additional 1 tmcft of water from the Godavari river through KLIS.

Any permissions granted by the CWC will be subject to the final judgement of the Supreme Court.
It is worth noting that Ch Srinivas Reddy and others filed a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the State government’s proposal to undertake works related to the third tmcft of the KLIS. In July 2022, the Supreme Court had issued orders maintaining the status quo on the additional 1 tmcft of work for the KLIS. 

Pleas against KLIS politically motivated: TS

However, the advocates for the State government argued that the petitions against KLIS were politically motivated. As a result, the Supreme Court amended its status quo orders on Monday and allowed the relevant agencies to consider granting permission for works towards the lifting an additional 1 tmcft of water.Previously, the State government obtained permission to lift 2 tmcft of water daily from the Godavari river during the flood season.

It then proposed an additional 1 tmcft of water, bringing the total to 3 tmcft per day. The government argued that no new environmental clearance was needed for this additional work as it had already obtained the necessary permissions. However, the government did need to acquire land for the distribution canals required to lift the additional 1 tmcft of water.