Hyderabad: In the backdrop of differences between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over sharing of Krishna river waters, the Telangana government on Saturday decided to articulate its arguments against the alleged illegal projects of Andhra Pradesh in the meeting of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). A meeting held by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao with senior State government officials resolved that the Pothireddypadu project of Andhra Pradesh is illegal and that the Telangana government would not accept it, an official release said on Saturday.
The meeting also resolved that the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (of Andhra Pradesh) which lifts water to the Pothireddypadu canal is also illegal, it said. The State government would seek cancellation of a three-member meeting of KRMB proposed to be held on July 9 and convening a full-fledged meeting of the board after July 20. The issues of Telangana should be included in its agenda, it said.
The meeting held by Chief Minister rejected the consumption of Krishna water as per a 66:34 ratio between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana which is presently being followed on a temporary basis and sought allocation of water on a 50:50 basis from this year between the two States, it said. Among others, the meeting decided to continue power generation as long as the water is available from Jurala, Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala projects, the release said.
The meeting also decided to continue the uncompromised fight to protect Telangana's interests in Krishna river waters and the interests of farmers in Telangana, it said. The KRMB was constituted by the Centre as per the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, for the administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of such projects, as may be notified by the Central Government from time to time.
After a thaw in relations during the last couple of years, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were engaged in a fresh row over sharing of Krishna waters and power generation. The fresh row saw Telangana taking strong exception to the Rayalaseema lift irrigation scheme and other projects taken up, allegedly illegally by Andhra Pradesh, and the Telangana Ministers attacking Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh and father of incumbent Andhra Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, for his alleged anti-Telangana stance.
Andhra Pradesh Ministers recently flayed their Telangana counterparts for their verbal attack against Rajasekhara Reddy. Amid the row between the two States over sharing of Krishna river water and power generation, additional police personnel were deployed by the two States at Nagarjuna Sagar and other common projects, police sources said here on Friday.
(PTI)
