 Babli project refers to the controversial reservoir project, being constructed by the

Maharashtra ,across the river Godavari, disputed by Andhra Pradesh

 The dispute arises from the fact that S.B. Chavan and Jalagam Vengal Rao reached an
agreement in October 1975 which was later made part of the Godavari Water Disputes
Tribunal (GWDT) Award.
 As per the terms of the pact Maharashtra could utilise 60 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet)
of Godavari water while Andhra Pradesh could go ahead with building the Sriram Sagar
Project (SRSP) and utilise all the balance water
 Babli barrage is being constructed on the Godavari around 83 km from Nanded.
Maharashtra claims the barrage will extend water supply to 58 villages and irrigate 7,995
hectares of land.
 Andhra Pradesh has claimed that the construction of the barrage will alter the natural
flow of Godavari in their state and affect the agriculture climate in the river basin.
It has also claimed that the dam was being constructed within the backwaters of
Pochampad Dam and in violation of the Godavari Water Dispute Agreement of 1975.
The Babli Project was cleared in 1995, but the construction began only in 2004.

 Andhra pradesh's contention is that Maharashtra has used up its quota in course of time by
building four projects. Yet, in an action without precedent, Maharashtra began construction
of the Babli project on the foreshores of SRSP and 13 other small projects upstream.
 . Eighteen lakh acres under the SRSP ayacut in the Telangana region will become barren if
Maharashtra is allowed to have its way.
 The Babli is located at a distance of around ten kilometers from Andhra Pradesh border
 No dam or project is permitted at such a distance from other state border. As a result of
Babli and others, the flow of water into Sriram Sagar project in Andhra Pradesh is
obstructed. In the last two years  Kharif crop is lost in the Sriram Sagar command area. No
where in the  world, one finds a project  within a project.
 Every drop of  water in the Babli and every drop of water taken from Babli is in fact water
that should flow into Sriram Sagar  and irrigate lands in Andhra Pradesh. The Sriram Sagar
project is originally designed to irrigate about 16 lakh acres. But, due to siltation this has
reduced to only ten lakh acres. Thanks to Maharashtra’s water theft due to illegal
projects, the Sriram Sagar project is facing a threat to its survival.
 Andhra Pradesh has been opposing Babli and 11 other projects on Godavari river in
Maharashtra on the ground that they violate the Tribunal Accords. The Maharashtra
government was never transparent on this issue. If its argument that these projects are not
illegal is true, Why should the Maharashtra  government prevent the inspection of these
projects by leaders from AndhraPradesh including the former Chief Minister and prominent
politician like N.ChandraBabu Naidu.
 Infact, the Babli and eleven other projects are not the projects in real sense. They are not
even dams. The deceitful act of Maharashtra government has to be closely understood here.
They are something like bridges. But, gates are erected to stop the flow of water
underneath. Thus stopped water is drawn into the fields by lift irrigation . The water is
continuously drawn instead of storing the water in reservoirs. The Babli can stop little over
 two TMCs of water. But as the water is drawn continuously through lift irrigation ,
Maharashtra utilizes about 20 to30 TMCs of water. Before the Babli eleven small bridge cum
dams are constructed each having a capacity of stopping less than one TMC of water. The
Central Water Commission (CWC) permission is not necessary for less than one TMC capacity
as they are primarily aimed at drinking water purposes. But, in a deceitful manner ,
Maharashtra is drawing about 80 to 90 TMCs of water through Babli and eleven other such
dams. This is contrary to the allocation made by tribunals . Maharashtra is violating the CWC
norms, international rules, conventions, etc.
 The Sri Ram Sagar project if stores water to its full level the submergence area will be upto
125 kms up stream. In this75 kms are in Andhra Pradesh and the other 50 kms are in
Maharashtra . The Andhra pradesh government has already paid the compensation for
submergence of villages in Maharashtra. But, the Babli is now located with in ten kms from
Andhra Pradesh border. This means the Babli is within the foreshore area   of  Sriram Sagar.
No where in the  world, one finds a project  within a project.  Every drop of  water in the
Babli and every drop of water taken from Babli is in fact water that should flow into Sriram
Sagar  and irrigate lands in Andhra Pradesh .
 Sriram Sagar project irrigates lakhs  of acres in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Nalgonda,
Khammam and Warangal districts in the backward Telangana area. In fact, there is no
sufficient water in Godavari river till Pranahita, Indravati tributaries join Godavari river near
the pilgrim town of kaleshwaram.  The Maharashtra is resorting to water theft from this
water starved area.  Several projects like Ichampally , Pranahita, Penu Ganga etc., were not
taken up . This region now affected by Babli  is without adequate irrigation facility.  The
Sriram Sagar project is originally designed to irrigate about 16 lakh acres. But, due to
siltation this has reduced to only ten lakh acres. Thanks to Maharashtra’s water theft due to
illegal projects, the Sriram Sagar project is facing a threat to its survival.
 The only solution now is to exert political pressure on the central government to intervene
and ensure that Maharashtra do not resort to such a deceit.
 Ap has filed a suit in supreme court on 3rd june 2006 on praying the
construction of babli barrage is in violation of GWDT.
 On 26-04-2007 the supreme court passed an interim order saying
that
(1) Though Maharashtra go ahead with the construction of babli
barrage, it shall not install the proposed 13 gates until further
orders.
(2) Maharashtra is permitted to proceed with the work on its own
risk,i.e it does not claim any equity by the reason of
construction being carried by it.

 The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, will on Monday meet the Andhra Pradesh Chief
Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah and Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Chavan, to find a solution
 to the dispute over Maharashtra's construction of the Babli dam over the Godavari river in
Andhra Pradesh's Nanded district.

 It has been reported that the Andhra Pradesh Government will urge the Centre to
prevail upon Maharashtra to remove the gates erected on the Babli project in violation
of the interim orders of the Supreme Court.

 The Andhra Pradesh Government intends to bring to the notice of Dr Singh the "lame
excuses" and "wrong information" being furnished by Maharashtra, which was going
ahead with the construction of Babli and 15 more "illegal projects" across the
Godavari, ignoring the orders of the Central Water Commission, Central Government
and the apex court.
 on July 26, an all-party delegation from Andhra Pradesh met Dr Singh to convey the the
State's resentment at how Babli dam would rob the Telangana region of its share of
Godavari water.
 Singh and Union Water Resources Minister P K Bansal held a meeting with Ashok Chavan
and K Rosaiah, the chief ministers of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, in the
wake of attempts by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu to revive the issue of Babli barrage two
weeks back.
 In the meantime, the leaders agreed that the two states would "strictly abide" by the
interim ruling of the Supreme Court on the matter.
 "The Central Water Commission would continue to verify the compliance of the
Supreme Court interim order by the states," Bansal said.
