CM urges babus to bat for TG’s share of water before KWDT-II

New Delhi / Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has asked the authorities to make strong arguments before Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) for Telangana’s share in River Krishna water under Section 3 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act (ISRWDA)-1956. The Chief Minister underscored that water allocations should be made project-wise as per Section 89 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA)-2014.

The tribunal called the Telangana government to make its arguments in the meeting on Thursday.

The CM also observed that the Apex Council formed under APRA had suggested that the distribution of water should be made between the two states based on Section 3. The CM reminded that even though the AP government approached the Supreme Court on the further terms of reference of KWDT-II, the apex court did not grant any stay.

At a review meeting on irrigation at his official residence in Delhi on Wednesday, Revanth Reddy directed the irrigation officials to write letters to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and the Godavari and Krishna River Management Boards (GRMB and KRMB) expressing Telangana government’s strong objections to the AP government’s decision to take up the Godavari-Banakacharla interlinking project without any permission.

The CM said the letters should also mention that as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, if any state wants to build a project on any river in the two states, information should be given to the GRMB and KRMB as well as the neighbouring state. The Chief Minister instructed the officials to conduct a study on the flooding of Bhadrachalam due to the Polavaram project by IIT Hyderabad within the stipulated time. The CM also asked the authorities to expedite the process of obtaining permissions for Sammakka Sarakka Barrage and Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation projects.