Hyderabad: The Union Ministry of Forests on Friday granted final clearance for the Kaleshwaram Project.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao have been vigorously pursuing with the Centre for getting Forest clearance for the prestigious project and made several representations.
Reacting on the development, Harish Rao said that the Forest Clearance by the Centre was a tight slap for those who were trying to obstruct the project.
He hoped that the project would get clearances from other agencies too. He said that the Telangana Government has taken the consent of people of 15 districts of Telangana and Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
He said that Telangana State has deposited Rs. 723 Crore with the Union Ministry of Forest for the forest land to be acquired for the project.
Harish Rao said that the Kaleshwaram Project would provide both irrigation and drinking water to several districts thus ensuring effective utilisation of Godavari River water. (INN)