Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party has appealed to the Union Ministry of Water Resources to immediately convene a meeting of the apex council of the Krishna River Waters Management Board as the neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh has called for tenders for enhancing Pothireddypadu capacity and upgradation of canals of the Galeru-Nagari project.
Party president Bandi Sanjay, in a communication to the Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday, a copy of which was released to the media, said that the AP Reorganisation Act of 2014 provisions were being violated by AP and putting the interests of Telangana in jeopardy.
Mr. Sanjay charged that the administrative orders issued by the AP government to sanction schemes worth ₹ 7,000 crore is aimed at drawing an additional quantity of 6 to 8 TMC of water per day from Srisailam reservoir on the Krishna River. Construction of Rayalaseema lift scheme aimed at pumping 3 TMC of water from Sangameshwara into Srisailam Right Main Canal, upgradation of Pothireddypadu head regulator canal system to draw 80,000 cusecs of water from foreshore of Srisailam reservoir and other upgradation works in existing canal system of Galeru-Nagari project to draw another 70,000 cusecs of water from Srisailam were being taken up, he claimed
“This is highly objectionable and illegal as any new irrigation projects or upgradation of existing projects by either AP or TS on River Krishna should have the approval of KRMB and the apex council, but this was not obtained by AP,” he said. The BJP chief noted that he had earlier brought the issue to the Minister’s notice when the KRMB wrote four letters to AP not to go ahead with the work until cleared by the apex council and till the detailed project reports are checked.
“Yet, the AP government is getting ready to award works to the agencies by August third week and start the works,” he charged.
