TS defers meet on water dispute

Oppn slams govt for postponing the meet

The Apex Council meeting on river water disputes between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state, which was scheduled for August 5, is said to have been postponed by the Union ministry of Jal Shakti.

Jal Shakti ministry secretary M.P. Singh had on July 29 written to the state government asking for its opinion on convening the Apex Council meeting.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on July 31 held a high-level meeting after which the Chief Secretary was asked to write to the Centre to schedule the meeting after August 20, or after the completion of the Independence Day celebrations as the government had scheduled certain programmes on August 5.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) government faced sharp criticism from the Opposition for seeking to postpone the meeting; they said the date proposed by the state government was significant.

The Andhra Pradesh government has floated tenders for the construction of the Rayalaseema lift irrigation project which was intended to divert 3 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of water a day from the Srisailam reservoir to Rayalaseema. The last date for the submission of tenders is August 17.

The Krishna Water Management Board has directed the AP government not to go ahead with the tender process.

The Congress, BJP and Left parties alleged that Chandrashekar Rao had sought the postponement to allow the AP government to complete the tender process.