Nagarjunasagar Project: 50 years ....Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Nagarjunasagar Project: 50 years

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Metro India (09-09-2016)

History recorded that the Nizams originally conceived the dam which became a reality later; then naming it as ‘Nandikonda’ project, after two villages-Nandi and Konda…… Injustice was done even in designing head regulators on either side. While the one on the right canal side has a high discharge capacity the left side one has a low capacity.

Fifty years ago on August 3, 1966 waters were released for the first time for the farmers through Nagarjunasagar Dam originally known as Nandikonda in the state of Telangana, across the River Krishna. This is the tallest masonry dam in the world and is one of the Major Multipurpose River Valley Projects.

The Project comprises of a Dam across River Krishna in Telangana bordering AP with two main canals taking off one on either side, known as Nagarjunasagar Right Main Canal and Nagarjunasagar Left Main Canal. Right canal to create Irrigation Potential in an extent of 4.75 Lakh Hectares (11.74 lakh Acres) in Guntur and Prakasham Districts of AP and the Left Canal to create Irrigation Potential in an area of 4.20 lakh Hectares (10.40 lakh Acres) in Nalgonda and Khammam districts of Telangana as well as parts of Krishna District in AP. As far as Telangana is concerned the total envisaged irrigation potential was 3.73 lakh acres in Nalgonda and 2.29 lakh acres in Khammam district. However records prove that hardly 3.5 lakhs of acres could be irrigated in these two districts put together on an average as against 6 lakhs acres!

The entire project was split up into phases. The first phase of the project consisted of the Nandikonda Dam, a left bank canal up to 108 miles (leading up to the river Munneru) and a right bank canal up to 60 miles reaching the river Gundlakamma. The cost of construction of the dam and the two canals was estimated at Rs. 80 crores. Out of the total cost, the cost of the dam alone was worked out to be Rs. 40 crores while that of the 60-mile canal along the right bank to be about Rs. 18 crores and the rest on left bank canal. The cost of the left bank canal which serves exclusively Hyderabad territory was to be borne by the Hyderabad Government while that of the right bank canal which serves the Andhra State was to be borne by the Andhra Government. The cost of the Nandikonda dam was to be shared by the two Governments in proportion to the waters distributed in the two canals. This part of the project was envisaged irrigating 12 lakh acres in which 7.9 lakh acres under Hyderabad canal. The project when completed envisaged irrigating over 20 lakh acres. Later phase two was to be completed.

A decision to undertake the construction of the Nandikonda Dam across the Krishna River near Macherla during the First Five-Year Plan was taken at a conference held on February 24, 1955 in New Delhi in which the participants were the members of the Planning Commission and representatives of the Andhra and Hyderabad Governments. Governor of Andhra CM Trivedi and Chief Minister of Hyderabad Boorgula Ramakrishna Rao were also present in the meeting.

However history recorded, that, it were the Nizams who originally conceived the dam which became a reality later, then naming it as "Nandikonda" project after two villages Nandi and Konda which were to be submerged in the reservoir later. The Nizam of Hyderabad  engaged British Engineers in 1903 to irrigate Telangana, though the work was never funded and made no progress. Nawab Ali Nawaz Jung Bahadur who was chief engineer during the rule of Nizam of Hyderabad and who was responsible for major irrigation works, buildings and bridges in Hyderabad State such as Osman Sagar, Nizam Sagar Himayath Sagar and Ali Sagar reservoir of Nizamabad district did the first ever survey on Nandikonda project in the erstwhile Hyderabad state. It is also said that an agreement was reached between the then Madras Government and Hyderabad Government on sharing of Krishna Waters and construction of project at Nandikonda. Government of Telangana announced that his birthday 11 July will be observed as Telangana Engineer's day.

River Krishna merges with River Tungabhadra near Kurnool and enters Telangana. There is little scope and possibility of floods to the River on the southern side. As there is a similar possibility towards north Nizam instructed engineers to prepare plans to face the flood scenario. On estimating flood water magnitude the engineers prepared plans for Srisailam and Nandikonda reservoirs. However the then Madras Government in which Andhra was also a part did not agree for construction of reservoirs. In fact it is said that when the proposal of Nandikonda came up the then Andhra leaders ridiculed and commented Nandikonda as “Pandikonda”! Some of them even questioned about the existence of any such place at all! When Nizam took the initiative and pursued by way of sending engineers to survey the project, the then Andhra Government came forward with a proposal to make it a joint project.

Later the Planning Commission appointed the Khosla Committee to examine and report on the optimum and most beneficial utilization of Krishna River waters. The Khosla committee visited the site and found it to be the most ideal location to build a gigantic dam across the river. The recommendations of the Committee, which were later endorsed by the Planning Commission in December, 1952, are to construct Nandikonda Dam across Krishna River with full reservoir level at +590.00 feet with canals taking off on either side. Water allocated to the Project is 281 TMC.

An announcement was made in 1954 for the construction of the project. The foundation stone was laid on December 10, 1955 by Nehru. Along with an oldest worker, Nehru carried the first tray of soil. Later Nehru said: “This is a stepping stone for India’s prosperity and a symbol of the series of modern temples taken up.” For reasons better known to him Nehru was instrumental in changing the name.

At the time of inauguration of the project in 1955 by Nehru, on the pretext that the historical Nagarjunakonda would be submerged, an alternate proposal came up resulting in the change of project site. This was the suggestion of late Dr KL Rao. This enabled flowing of water through exit passages on the eastern side but no such facility was provided towards the left canal on the Telangana side. Only when the inflow into the reservoir increases water would be made available through Underground tunnels.

Nandikonda Project, with a height of 525 feet, construction commenced from the year 1956 and Dam construction was completed in the year 1969 and erection of gates on spillway was completed during the year 1974. However in the later design River Krishna waters were diverted by the Andhra rulers by constructing the Nagarjunasagar instead of earlier proposed Nandikonda project, which would provide irrigation facilities in lakhs of acres in Nalgonda and Khammam districts. Another injustice was limiting water to Khammam and Nalgonda districts only and diverting water to Krishna district from Kodad. The legitimate water that is supposed to go to Telangana was diverted to Andhra.

Injustice was done even in designing head regulators on either side. While the one on the right canal side has a high discharge capacity the left side one has a low capacity. Even at Palair reservoir to take water from there the level of canal was down by 17 feet to a lower level and diverted to Krishna district. In fact the levels did not permit this, but, was done. The left canal should have been exclusively for Telangana only. End