Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project
Location of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in India Show map of India Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (Telangana) Show map of Telangana
Location	Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally, Telangana, India
Coordinates	17°44′27″N 78°41′26″E / 17.74083°N 78.69056°E / 17.74083; 78.69056
Purpose	Irrigation, power, and transport
Status	Completed/Inaugurated
Construction began	2016
Opening date	21 June 2019
Construction cost	₹ 80000 crores[1]
Operator(s)	Telangana Irrigation Department
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Godavari River
Height	up to top of earth dam above the lowest river bed.
Spillway type	Chute spillway
Website https://www.kaleshwaramproject.com/

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally, Telangana, India.^[2] Currently the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation project,^[3] its farthest upstream influence is at the confluence of the Pranahita and Godavari rivers. The Pranahita River is itself a confluence of various smaller tributaries including the Wardha, Painganga, and Wainganga rivers which combine to form the seventh-largest drainage basin on the subcontinent, with an estimated annual discharge of more than 6,427,900 acre-feet (7,930 cubic hectometres) or 280 TMC. It remains untapped as its course is principally through dense forests and other ecologically sensitive zones such as wildlife sanctuaries.

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project^[4][5] is divided into 7 links and 28 packages spanning a distance of approximately 500 km (310 mi) through 13 districts and utilizing a canal network of more than 1,800 km (1,100 mi).^[6] The project aims to produce a total of 240 TMC (195 from Medigadda Barrage, 20 from Sripada Yellampalli project and 25 from groundwater), of which 169 has been allocated for irrigation, 30 for Hyderabad municipal water, 16 for miscellaneous industrial uses and 10 for drinking water in nearby villages, with the remainder being estimated evaporation loss. The project aims at increasing total culturable command area (the sustainable area which can be irrigated after accounting for both upstream and downstream factors) by 1,825,000 acre⋅ft (2,251 hm³) across all 13 districts in addition to stabilizing the existing CCA.

On 21 June 2019, the project was opened by Telangana Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan and Chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. National Green Tribunal declared the Scheme is constructed without following the statuary provisions with regard to environmental aspects.^[7]

Four major pumping facilities manage the project's outflow, the largest at Ramadugu (Medaram, Annaram and Sundilla being the others) is also likely to be the largest in Asia once consistent measurements are available,^[8] requiring seven 140 MWh (500 GJ) pumps designed and manufactured specifically for the project by the BHEL.^[9] The Engineering giant Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited built 15 of 22 Pump houses and undertook major part of the project.

Project details

In addition to constructing new reservoirs, Kaleshwaram also rejuvenates existing ones.^[10]

Water lifting

The chief minister has said that every year about 400 TMC of water will be lifted. On the contrary, over the past 5 years, only about 150 TMC of water has been lifted and out of this 100 TMC was released back in to Godavari. Therefore on an average only about 10 TMC of water is lifted per year. Every year water lifting is usually started in late June and July, and few TMC is lifted to the several barrages. However, in July projects get sufficient rain water, that necessitates releasing the lifted water back in to Godavari. Over the past 5 years, lifting and releasing back is a recurrent phenomenon that calls for an intelligent water lifting plan. On the other hand, 10 TMC of water lifting per year is quite flow and does not justify the huge amount of money spent. For example, with 10 TMC of water, 1 lakh acres could be irrigated. The annual expenditure for the project is estimated to be beyond Rs. 20,0000 crore per year. This implies that per acre annual expenditure is 20 lakh, which is astronomically high. Such very poor cost benefit ratios make the project a financial disaster for the state.

Project Economics

The project requires about 5,900 MW of electricity to run its several large water pumps. Assuming, on average, the pumps require constant running for two months during the monsoon period, 24 hours a day, the total electricity consumption would be 849 crore units. Taking a unit electricity charge of Rs. 8.0 per kWh, the annual electricity cost is going to be Rs. 7000 crores per year. Assuming the project irrigates about 15 lakh acres, the electricity cost for irrigation is about Rs. 46,666 per acre per year. The chief minister has said that the project requires about Rs. 5000 crore annually for electricity charges.^[11] On the other hand, the state irrigation department had allocated Rs.7000 crores for electricity charges in its 2020 budget.^[12]

The project was mainly funded with the money obtained through loans. Assuming an existing loan of Rs. 80,000 crore, at an interest rate of 6% that needs to paid up over a period of 30 years, the annual loan repayment charge is about Rs. 5760 crores per year. This implies an additional charge of Rs. 38,400 per acre per year towards the loan repayment. Therefore, the total cost of irrigation per acre is approximately Rs. 85,000 per acre per year. On the other hand, the net profit from the cultivation of the main crop i.e., paddy, could be expected to be around Rs.40,000 per acre per year,^[12] assuming two crops in a year. These numbers raise questions about the financial viability of the project.

A recent report by the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) has pointed out that the cost to benefit ratio of the project is 1:0.75 in contrast to the state govt.'s claim of 1:1.5.^[13] In addition, by taking in to account the escalated costs for lifting the third TMC, the ratio comes down to 1:0.52. According to the report, the annual operational costs for irrigating an acre of land is Rs. 46,364 cr. The annual electricity costs are estimated to be Rs. 10,374 cr. Despite the negative report by CAG on the financial viability, the state govt. has made no effort refute the report.

Project Execution

Indian Public sector Enterprise BHEL is executing this project and has already commissioned 16 pumping units.^[14][15]

Environmental law violations

In October 2020, the National Green Tribunal, India's court for environmental issues, directed the Telangana government to halt work on the KLIP except the drinking water supply component. A petition had been filed by a farmer from Siddipet district, whose land was affected by the KLIP. The National Green Tribunal found, on hearing his petition, that the environmental clearances for the KLIP had not been obtained before the project, as is required by law, but had been granted by the Union Government of India after work on the project had already begun by the Telangana government. The National Green Tribunal has directed the Indian government's Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to constitute a committee to investigate the illegally granted clearances, and to file a report with them within six months.^[16][17][18]

See also

References

(Telangana India)