Engineers from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and the Central Water Commission (CWC) have started a survey to study the impact of the proposed Katragadda project over river Vansadhara in Gajapati district.
The survey near Kasinagar is being carried out at the direction of the Vansadhara Tribunal, Chief Engineer and Basin Manager of Rushikulya-Nagabali-Vansadhara rivers RN Swain said. The survey work, which started on Wednesday from Naredi in Rayagada district, would be completed on May 22.
The Vansadhara Tribunal was constituted by the Supreme Court in 2010 to solve the dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh over sharing of Vansadhara river water.
Although the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh Governments had conducted surveys on the impact of the project separately, this time it is a joint survey involving the CWC.
Andhra Pradesh has proposed to construct Vansadhara project-II at Katragadda with an investment of Rs 950 crore. Opposing the project, Odisha moved the Supreme Court in 2006.
Andhra Pradesh planned to divert river water from Katragadda village to the Hiramandalam reservoir in the State instead of constructing a barrage on the river at Naredi under the project. The work was, however, stalled when Odisha raised objections stating that it violated the water-sharing agreement between the two States signed in 1961.
Odisha fears that several villages in Gajapati and Rayagada districts would be submerged and drinking water problem would arise in the area after river water is diverted from Odisha to Andhra Pradesh.