Krishna river board intervention to stop AP's plan sought

The opposition Congress in

Telangana on Thursday sought the Krishna River Management Board's (KRMB) intervention to scuttle the reported plan of Andhra Pradesh to draw additional water from the Srisailam project.

We seek the intervention of Krishna river management board to ensure that the Andhra Pradesh government is not allowed to draw Krishna water illegally to the detriment of Telangana," the Congress said in a representation submitted to the KRMB chairman here.

If the Andhra Pradesh governments plan is executed, lakhs of farmers in southern Telangana districts would be adversely affected, it said.

The party also mentioned that Krishna river water is utilised to supplydrinking water in Hyderabad.

 

It said the Andhra Pradesh government had issued a government order (GO) on May 5 sanctioning Rs 6,829 crore to upgrade the Pothyreddypadu head regulator to draw 80,000 cusecs from the foreshore of Srisailam reservoir.

State Congress president and Lok Sabha member N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who led the delegation to the KRMB chairman, alleged that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had not spoken to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy about the latters announcement to "double the capacity of the head regulator" though the two Chief Ministers had met twice since January.

Congress leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy had, on January 4 this year, written a letter to Rao about the Andhra Chief Minister reportedly announcing the decision to double the capacity of the head regulator to draw water and that it is a danger for Telangana, the PCC president told reporters.

Congress on Wednesday held a protest here at its office against the alleged failure of the TRS government in Telangana to stop the reported initiative of Andhra government.

State Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar asserted that the TRS government would leave no stone unturned to safeguard the state's interests. In an apparent reference to Congress leaders, he alleged that those, who had hailed the increase in capacity of the head regulator in undivided Andhra Pradesh, are now talking big.

The Telangana government, which voiced opposition to the proposed irrigation scheme by Andhra Pradesh, on Tuesday last sent a representation to the KRMB conveying its opposition.

Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday last alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government "unilaterally decided" to take up the project which reportedly envisages lifting of Krishna River water from Srisailam project, a joint irrigation scheme of the two neighbours, and said it would affect the interests of his state.

According to an official release, Rao had said the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act clearly stipulates that any new project either in Andhra or Telangana requires clearance from the apex committee of the two states.

Hence, the decision to use water from the Srisalam project without consulting Telangana and taking up a fresh project without the approval of apex committee were mistakes made by Andhra, he had maintained.

According to the release, Andhra Pradesh has decided to take up the new project proposing to lift three TMC water from the Srisailam project and issued a Government Order (GO).