VIJAYAWADA: The ruling YSR Congress will ask the central government to take over all the projects on the Krishna river and protect them by deploying the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
This was decided at the YSR Congress Parliamentary Party meeting held here on Thursday.
Party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy chaired the Parliamentary party meeting at his Tadepalli camp office. The meeting, in which the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were present, decided the party’s strategy to be followed in the forthcoming Parliament session.
The chief minister told the MPs that the government had already written two letters to the Prime Minister informing him about the “illegal” withdrawl of water from the Krishna river by Telangana. He told the MPs that he had already suggested appointment of CISF for security of the projects. He wanted the MPs to take up the issue with the central government during the session and see that it intervened and resolved the issue between two Telugu states.
The Centre can also takeover all the projects on the river and distribute water as per the agreement. This would mean that the central government would take over the Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala projects and distribute water to the two states.
CM tells MPs to fight for steel plant
The chief minister also asked the MPs to take up Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme with the Central government and see that the government gives permission to draw water through Pothireddipadu head regulator when water level at Srisailam is 800 ft. He said that at present water could be drawn through Pothireddipadu only when the water level at Srisailam is 881 ft.
However, maintaining this level is not possible due to erratic rainfall and wanted the central government to authorise AP to draw water at 800 ft level. He sought to remind the MPs that Telangana had designed all its lift irrigation projects to draw water at 800 ft level.
The chief minister also told the MPs to fight against disinvestment in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, get approval for Rs 55,656 crore estimated cost for Polavaram Project, get payment of 6,112 crore due from Telangana state towards electricity charges, ask for payment of Rs 5056 crore from the Centre towards subsidised rice and Rs 6750 crore towards MNREGS payments, besides other issues.
The CM reiterated the demand for disqualification of MP K Raghurama Krishnam Raju and wanted the MPs to mount pressure on the Speaker to act.
