Naveen Patnaik-Jagan Mohan Reddy meet: Andhra Pradesh wants early joint survey for Neradi, gram sabhas for Janjhavathi

BHUBANESWAR: Andhra Pradesh has three major expectations as outcomes of the Tuesday meeting between chief ministers Naveen Patnaik and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, AP officials said.
Sources said Andhra Pradesh has requested Odisha to cooperate for conducting joint survey under supervision of Central Water Commission (CWC) and handing over of 106 acre of land required at the earliest for Neradi barrage proposed to be constructed across Vamsadhara river.
Secondly, the neighbouring state has appealed Odisha to conduct gram sabhas and help in finalising resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) package in Odisha for Janjhavathi reservoir project across Janjhavathi river.
Thirdly, it has asked status-quo in Kotia in view of the fact that an institutional mechanism is needed considering intricacies involved.
A senior officer in the AP CM’s office said CMs of Odisha and AP on July 18, 1961, January 15, 1987 and June 10, 1992 have agreed for construction of Neradi barrage sharing water in 50:50 ratio between the two states limiting the land acquisition to 106 acre in Odisha.
It is a win-win situation for both states as Odisha will get assured irrigation facilities for 9,600 acre for three crops in a year.
Pointing out that Janjhavathi reservoir water will also be shared between the two states in the 50:50 ratio as per inter-state agreements of September 24, 1975 and December 15, 1978, the officer said the water will benefit predominantly tribal population in both states.
As per decision taken in an inter-state meeting held at Bhubaneswar on December 23, 2002 that the total submergence area including back water effect in Odisha due to Janjhavathi will be 1175.10 acre. Out of this 848.76 acre is government land and 326.34 acre is private land.
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