TS, AP should behave responsibly

The down to earth depiction by V Ramu Sharma in his write-up reveals the insensitivity of leaders of all political parties who at the drop of the hat turn water issue into a war-like situation when the time comes to equitable sharing by resolving the issue. Knowing well, water becoming scarce due to erratic rainfall and long dry spells on account of climatic changes across the globe and India considered to be water-strapped country due to acute scarcity, there should be no hesitation in observing that national interest must take precedence over the interest of the individual states.

It is a sad commentary that despite every state more or less locked in inter-state water dispute for decades never made a bold and sincere attempt to resolve the matter by adopting give-and-take policy so far. With the result, frequent tensions build up when the topic of water dispute comes up for discussion between the states. Added to this, what is witnessed every time in states is large-scale violence and massive destruction of properties indulged by senseless elements shamelessly.

The ongoing dispute between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over sharing of Krishna waters appears to take a serious turn due to tough stand taken by both sides with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister deciding to request the centre to take over Srisailam and Sagar projects while Telangana government is bent upon to raise and expose AP's illegal lift projects in the upcoming parliament session on the plea that the state believes in permanent solution to the vexed water disputes between the two states.

Whatever may be the game plan or intentions of the chief ministers of the two states, one thing clearly emerges is that seriousness of the issue plagued by frequent tensions has turned political with the intention of ruling parties in the two states to reap political mileage to their advantage coming to the fore.

Notwithstanding the fact that both states deployed police in large numbers at the disputed irrigation projects to avert clashes and violence at a time when pandemic is still around playing with lives of the people, it is clear that ill-founded objectives embraced by the states to garner benefits may only result in greater harm not only to their respective states but also to the nation at large.

Also, when water disputes between states hanging for decades without getting resolved and each time, court or tribunal's interim order has only been making matters worse with situation taking ugly turns been exploited by political parties to score brownie points, it is time state governments are expected to view water issue with greater objectivity and resolve the matter by sitting across the table instead of abdicating its responsibility by throwing the ball into the Centre's court which will only delay the process.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad