TS to sue AP for trying to take more water

● KCR SAID the AP government has committed a “grave mistake” in deciding to construct the new project without consulting the apex committee though the Srisailam project is a common project for TS and Andhra Pradesh.

● HE SAID the Telangana government will put all efforts to stop the new irrigation project proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government.

In a significant development with regard to the differences between the Telugu states over the utilisation of waters of the Krishna river, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao said on Monday that the Telangana state government would launch legal action against the decision of the Andhra Pradesh government for constructing a lift irrigation project to divert water from the Srisailam dam to Rayalaseema.

The Chief Minister on Monday announced the decision during a highlevel meeting to review the decision of the AP government to issue a government order to release funds for the construction of the lift irrigation project.

Taking serious exception on the decision of the Andhra Pradesh government, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao instructed officials to approach the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) and challenge the decision of the Andhra Pradesh government in the Supreme Court.

He said that the AP government has committed a “grave mistake” in deciding to construct the new project without consulting the apex committee though the Srisailam project is a common project for Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister said that the decision of the Andhra Pradesh is against the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. He said that the decision of the AP government prima facie violated the rights of the Telangana.

Reminding that he had initiated talks to share the Krishna and Godavari waters for the benefit of both states amicably, Mr Chandrashekar Rao said, “it is painful that the AP government has taken a unilateral decision without consulting the Telangana state government. We will certainly put all our efforts to stop the new project proposed by the AP government at any cost.”

He pointed out that the AP Reorganisation Act stipulates that in case either state wants to construct any new project on the river, it has to consult the apex committee. “It is unfortunate and painful that the AP government is acting unilaterally,” Mr Chandrashekar Rao said.

He directed the officers concerned to work out legal remedies to stall the attempt of the AP government to construct the project.

Mr Chandrashekar Rao and AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy have met more than once to work out ways to resolve disputes over the Krishna and Godavari rivers and have also discussed linking of the two rivers.