Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) has expressed his displeasure with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, for accusing the Telangana government of constructing irrigation projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers without valid permissions. KCR said that the Andhra Pradesh government is ‘unnecessarily poking and picking up a fight’ and is levelling ‘baseless’ allegations against the state.
In a scathing remark, KCR on Monday said, “Let us give a befitting answer in the Apex Council (constituted to resolve the water dispute) to effectively counter the Andhra Pradesh government’s meaningless charges and shut its mouth once and for all. We will create a situation where the Andhra government will never make such allegations in future.”
Earlier in May, the Andhra Pradesh government filed a complaint with the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), alleging that the Telangana government violated the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, and constructed five projects — Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift scheme, Dindi lift scheme, Bhaktha Ramadas lift scheme, Mission Bhagiratha and Tummilla lift scheme — despite protests by the Andhra government.
As per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014, which bifurcated Andhra Pradesh into Telangana, any new project by both states has to be first evaluated and recommended by KRMB and Central Water Commission. Thereafter, the projects require approval from the Apex Council of the Jal Sakti ministry (Ministry of Water Resources).
The Andhra government, in the letter, also sought permission for the Rayalaseema lift irrigation project.
In its response, the Union Water Resources Ministry earlier this week, asked both the disputed parties not to proceed with any projects as they have not submitted Detailed Project Reports.
Recalling his effort to maintain a friendly relationship with Andhra Pradesh, KCR said, “I, on my own, invited the Andhra state elders in the government, offered them lunch and discussed the matter. I have extended a friendly hand to the Andhra government, saying that both the states should construct projects based on the needs of the people.”
“We have made our stand clear that there should not be any egos or Basins (River Basins). We have proposed that since both the states are natural neighbours, both should act in a friendly manner and move forward to the final goal of giving water to farmers in the respective states. We have also told them that the water being wasted into the sea should be diverted to the farmers and towards that goal, an action plan should be implemented. But yet, the Andhra government unnecessarily poked us and is picking up a fight,” KCR said.
Mounting attack on the Union government, KCR said, “We are constructing projects based on our share of the river waters. It is not correct to raise objections on the projects whose allocation of water was agreed upon before the formation of Telangana state, permissions granted and huge funds were spent,” the CM said.
KCR said that the Union government is raising unnecessary objections over releasing water from Srisailam to Nagarjuna Sagar.
“In fact, it is only after filling up the Nagarjuna Sagar project that other projects should be filled up with water. In fact, Srisailam is not an irrigation project. It is a hydroelectric project (Hydel power project). Without taking these facts into consideration, the Centre raising objections is not proper. As a state, Telangana also has some rights. The state is constructing its projects based on its rights. The Centre should not behave as though it is appropriating the states rights. We will make sure that the Centre’s policy is known all over the country and will declare all the facts on the matter,” the CM said.