Lok Sabha Question No. 5448 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-06
Subject: Construction of Neradi Barrage
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: RITA TARAI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES,

## RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5448

ANSWERED ON 06.04.2017

## CONSTRUCTION OF NERADI BARRAGE

## 5448. SHRIMATI RITA TARAI

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) the details of issues to be resolved for construction of Neradi Barrage;

(b)  the  rationale  behind  proposal  of  constructing  Katragada  Side  Weir  Project  by  the  Government  of Andhra Pradesh;

(c) the effects of the said weir project in Vanshadhra river meanderings; and

(d) the time by which the issues for Neradi Barrage are to be resolved and the efforts made/to be made by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  &  GANGA

## REJUVENATION

(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) As per  Statement of Case  filed before Vansadhara Water  Disputes  Tribunal (VWDT) by the State of Andhra  Pradesh,  "the  main  grievance is that the  State of Odisha  is not honouring several Inter-State Agreements on  Neradi  Barrage   and  failed to handover the agreed extent  of land, thus  not allowing  the State of Andhra  Pradesh  to construct  Neradi  Barrage on some or other objection."

- (b)    As per  Statement  of  Case  filed  before  VWDT by  the  State  of  Andhra    Pradesh,  "As  Neradi Barrage  is  getting  unduly  delayed  for  5  decades,  the  State  of  Andhra  Pradesh  proposed    a  temporary measure, 'Katragada Side Weir'  in its territory  for drawal  of limited waters,  which will  not  require  any land on Odisha  side."
- (c)  As  per  Statement of Case  filed  before VWDT by  the  State of Odisha, "construction  of Side Weir Project  would deprive drinking water requirement  in 18  villages   and  irrigation requirement in  30,000 acres  of land  situated  on  the  left  bank  of inter-State  river  Vansadhara lying  in  the  territory   of the State of Odisha. Diversion of water  to the  Side Weir  Project would eventually dry  up  the  existing river bed  towards the  left  bank  which  will  consequently shift the  river  besides affecting  the  groundwater table.  The  Side  Weir  Project,  in  any  case,  would deprive Odisha of  its  right  to  utilize the share  of water of Vansadhara  as  the  required and accustomed depth  of flow  for drawing  the  water  would  not be available."

(d)  Government of Odisha had filed a complaint under Section 3 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 with the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation on  14.02.2006  seeking  constitution  of  an  Inter-State  Water  Disputes  Tribunal.  The  State  of  Andhra Pradesh also filed a complaint dated 28.07.2009 with regard to objections of Odisha to the construction of  Neradi  Barrage.  Accordingly,  the  Central  Government  constituted  Vansadhara    Water  Disputes Tribunal    (VWDT)  under  Section  4  of  the  ISRWD  Act,  1956  vide  Notification  No.  465(E)  dated 24 th February,  2010.  As  per the ISRWD  Act,  1956,  VWDT  is  required  to  submit  its  report  and decision within five years from the effective date of constitution  of the Tribunal.  As such, the matter is pending before VWDT and as such sub judice .  Outcome of the matter in the VWDT is awaited.