Will stop dam project if TS drops Palamuru plan, says AP
The Andhra Pradesh government will adopt a pragmatic approach to resolve the river water disputes with neighbouring Telangana state. It will offer to stop all proposed works to be taken up under the contentious GO 203 if the Telangana state government agrees to stop the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme (PRLIS).
The AP government is preparing itself to prove beyond doubt that the PRLIS is a new project and is in total deviation from the project conceived by the undivided AP government.
“The original proposal was to lift water from Jurala and now the project is underway to lift water from Srisailam itself,“a senior official told Deccan Chronicle.
Sources said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy deliberately took the decision to draw water from Srisailam at the 854 ft level and enhance the carrying capacity of canals in the Pennar basin after he was convinced that the state is well within its rights to utilise its share.
“We are ready for an indepth scrutiny of all projects, either proposed or already grounded, in both states post bifurcation by the apex council,” sources close to the CM said adding that similar openness by the Telangana state government would really help in finding a permanent solution to the river water disputes.
On the AP government not replying to the objections raised by the TS government and information sought by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), sources said a detailed reply would be sent soon because there is clarity now on what the state is intending to do, which wasn’t the case when it received the first communication from the KRMB in February.
“It is unfortunate that Telangana state, which at one stage had denounced the KRMB and chose not to reply to any of our objections or the board’s queries, is now accusing us of ignoring the KRMB,” said an official.
From Page 1 In the early days of formation of the KRMB after state bifurcation, the AP government had agreed to a proposal that the board take over the management of all projects and release water as per the states’ share and follow a specific schedule for all dependent states. The TS government didn’t agree and said it would take a decision after the Krishna Waters Dispute Tribunal-II gives its award. The KRMB and the Godavari River Management Board remained silent when the TS government did not submit detailed project reports of any of its projects like Kaleswaram, Palamuru and Dindi.