Telangana not ready to hand over water projects to GRMB

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Government is making last-minute efforts to see that the gazette notification issued by the Union Government to take over the jurisdiction of rivers and projects by GRMB (Godavari River Management Board) was deferred till the issues raised by it were resolved.

The TS government told the board that it was not ready to release the seed money of Rs 200 crore to the GRMB until the issues raised by the government were addressed. The irrigation officials also questioned the GRMB officials for seeking huge money to run the board. The government asked the board to furnish the details of the expenditure on the paper and then the release of the amount would be considered.

With just two days left for the implementation of the gazette, the GRMB held a meeting with the top irrigation officials of the two States and sought their views on handing over the projects to the board. As many as 71 projects were constructed on River Godavari. The board has asked the two States to hand over the joint project – Peddavagu project constructed at Aswaraopet in Bhadradri- Kothagudem district. The project provides irrigation facilities to 13,000 acres in AP and 3,000 acres in Telangana.

"The Telangana officials informed the board that the government was studying legal and political issues if the project was handed over to the GRMB. The officials pointed out that there is no clarity on the maintenance of the project once the board takes over. The notification did not mention specific responsibilities of the board in the management of the project," a top irrigation official who attended the meeting said.