AP, TS need to jointly fight illegal irrigation projects: Minister

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government onSaturday appealed to the Telangana government to join hands to fight against the illegal irrigation projects that are being constructed on river Krishna by Maharashtra and Karnataka.

State water resources minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao alleged in a press conference here that though the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal on river Krishna awarded 521 and 299 TMC (water) to Andhra and Telangana, respectively, Maharashtra and Karnataka did not allow water to be sent from Krishna to the two Telugu states through their irrigation projects.

“We have to fight for our rights jointly against Maharashtra and Karnataka who are doing illegal constructions for irrigation projects on river Krishna. We will also place the issue before the Central government”, he said.

He said that both AP and Telangana received only 66 TMC of water to Srisailam reservoir from local catchment areas and that meager amount was adjusted by the two states with cordial discussions to meet the drinking water requirement in Nalgonda, Khammam districts and Hyderabad city in Telangana and Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts in AP.

Rao said in the current critical conditions unless the two Telugu states fight jointly and place the issues before the Centre, ultimately, Telugu people would suffer. The Telangana government recently announced some new projects on Krishna and was also likely to issue tenders in this regard. Rao urged the neighbouring state government not to take up the projects as of now as there is inadequate was in Krishna.

PTI