To grant NOC for Sammakka Sagar Project

In a key development, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has given in-principle approval for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Telangana's Sammakka Sagar Project on the Godavari River. The approval came after Telangana’s Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with senior officials, met CM Vishnu Deo Sai in Raipur on Monday.

Speaking to the media post-meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed gratitude for the CM’s positive response, calling it a critical step in the project's realization. He also submitted a memorandum assuring Telangana’s commitment to manage land acquisition, compensation, and rehabilitation in Chhattisgarh.

The NOC is the final interstate requirement before the Central Water Commission can approve the project. The Sammakka Sagar Barrage, under construction at Tupakulagudem in Mulugu district, will store 6.7 TMC of water. The project aims to address the water crisis in drought-prone areas of Telangana, particularly Nalgonda and Warangal, by providing both irrigation and drinking water. 

The project plans include stabilizing 1.78 lakh hectares under the Sriramsagar Project Stage-II and creating 12,146 hectares of new irrigation under the Ramappa–Pakhal Link Canal. This will benefit multiple districts including Warangal, Khammam, and Nalgonda, boosting agricultural productivity and reducing drought risks.

The project will also help mitigate groundwater contamination in Nalgonda and Warangal, caused by high fluoride levels, by providing safe river-based water. However, some submergence will affect Chhattisgarh’s Bhopalpatnam tahsil, and Telangana has committed to covering all related costs.