Revanth Reddy, Fadnavis agree on a joint committee but not on height at Tummidihetti barrage talks in Mumbai

What Telangana asked for

Uttam Kumar Reddy made a presentation on the history of the region, the poverty of its tribal people and the unfulfilled irrigation proposals of five decades, going back to an agreement of 1975. He said that the agreement of 2016, which fixed the height at 148 metres, would not fully meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of Telangana, and he proposed 152 metres as the most beneficial option. He gave the benefits as lower power needs and fuel costs, protection of the environment, a gravity-based flow of water and lower operating costs. He said that Telangana would compensate Maharashtra's farmers whose land is submerged under Maharashtra's rules for acquisition and compensation.

Revanth Reddy spoke of the shared historical and cultural ties of the two states with the former Hyderabad State, and of the struggles of the tribal communities of Adilabad, citing the movement associated with Komaram Bheem for water, forest and land. He proposed a defence and a civil airport in Adilabad that, he said, would benefit the border areas on both sides. He described the barrage as a physical bridge between the two states and appealed to Maharashtra for its cooperation.

Fadnavis responded positively but did not commit. He said that he was ready to review Telangana's request to raise the height and that he had no objection to reviewing the 148-metre agreement, as long as it had no adverse impact on Maharashtra or its people. That condition is the key to the matter. He said that Maharashtra would cooperate with Telangana's water needs while keeping national interests in view, and that the Central Water Commission would do the necessary studies within its remit. He also mentioned that his grandmother spoke Telugu.

Fadnavis proposed a committee of senior officials from the irrigation departments of the two states. It will study the height of the barrage and the availability of water, assess the submergence and the areas that would be affected in Maharashtra, examine compensation and other technical questions, and review both states' estimates of flood impact and, if needed, alternatives. Officials and technical experts are to consult each other, set timelines for further meetings and draft an action plan. Revanth Reddy said in a post that both sides had agreed to the committee.

One report adds that Revanth Reddy invited Fadnavis to the Invest Telangana Global Summit, due on 7, 8 and 9 December at Future City in Hyderabad, but another account of the meeting does not mention it.

The meeting has moved the matter from a refusal to talk to a process, which is progress of a kind. But no number has been agreed, and the committee has to deal with the question that has stalled the project for years: how much land in Maharashtra would be submerged by an extra four metres, who would lose it and what they would be paid. The Central Water Commission's studies, environmental clearances and the approval of both governments will all be needed before any work begins.

For Telangana, which is in a drought with reservoirs far below normal, the project is a long-term bet on water for its northern districts. For Maharashtra, the difficulty is local. A deal that is generous to the families affected would be easier to sell at home, and Telangana has said it will pay for it. The next thing to look for is the date of the committee's first meeting and whether it is asked to report within a set time.