The Andhra Pradesh State Water Users Associations’ Federation has urged the Union government to take up the issue of construction of new projects by Telangana at the ensuing meeting of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).
In a letter to Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday, the federation also wanted the Centre to take up the issue of shifting the headquarters of the KRMB to Vijayawada.
Disclosing the details of the letter, federation president A.V. Gopala Krishna Rao said Telangana had taken up five new projects and enhanced the scope of three ongoing projects, which were also based on surplus waters.
“Despite clear instructions of the Supreme Court in 2016 to clarify its stand on these projects, there has been no response from the Union government. But Telangana is going ahead and constructing the projects,” he said.
“These issues have to be taken up in the Apex Council meeting. This apart, Telangana should be restrained from constructing the new projects. Action needs to be taken to protect the existing ayacut of 28.79 lakh acres in the lower riparian State of Andhra Pradesh — Nagarjunasagar Project 15.71 lakh acres and Krishna Delta System 13.08 lakh acres — by utilising the Krishna waters,” Mr. Krishna Rao said.
‘Shift KRMB headquarters’
As per Section 85(2) of the State Reorganization Act of 2014, the KRMB headquarters should be located in Andhra Pradesh. But the Central government did not initiate any action to shift it from Hyderabad even six years after bifurcation of the State and despite repeated requests from the Government of Andhra Pradesh, he added.
