Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy directed officials to develop a scientific desiltation model for Telangana’s major irrigation projects to improve storage capacity, strengthen water security and reduce flood risks.
Reviewing reservoir desiltation initiatives with senior officials at the Secretariat on Wednesday, the minister said the government should adopt sustainable measures that address immediate desiltation needs and long-term flood protection requirements.
He stressed that officials must restore the original storage capacity of key reservoirs in the Godavari and Krishna river basins. According to him, higher storage capacity would improve irrigation potential and help manage floods more effectively.
Scientific desiltation model to guide reservoir restoration
Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed officials to study desiltation practices implemented in other states and identify methods suitable for Telangana.
He also directed them to examine Central government guidelines on reservoir desiltation and sediment management. Furthermore, he asked officials to evaluate successful models that combine environmental and economic benefits.
Referring to experiences from other states, the minister said delayed action often leads to heavy financial losses. He cited severe floods in Punjab last year that affected 16 districts and resulted in expenditure of nearly ₹2,000 crore on relief and compensation.
He said timely preventive measures, including systematic desiltation, could significantly reduce such losses.
Scientific desiltation model to improve water security
The minister highlighted the desiltation of Kerala’s Mangalam Dam as an example of effective reservoir management. He said the project demonstrated how planned desiltation could restore storage capacity while generating value from excavated material.
Uttam Kumar Reddy reviewed the progress of desiltation works at the Kaddam Project, Lower Manair Dam and Mid Manair Reservoir. He directed officials to resolve operational issues and speed up ongoing works.
In addition, he asked the Chief Engineers of the Sri Ram Sagar Project and Nizam Sagar Project to assess desiltation requirements and submit recommendations for restoring lost storage capacity.
The minister said the government views desiltation as a critical element of flood moderation, water conservation and irrigation sustainability. He added that the Engineer-in-Chief (O&M) would lead the statewide initiative.