Tension prevailed at the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border near Bugga Madhavaram in the district on Sunday as Suryapet police denied entry to ruling YSRCP’s Jaggayyapeta legislator and Govt. Whip Samineni Udaya Bhanu. The legislator, along with media persons and followers, was on way to the K.L. Rao Sagar Pulichintala Project, joint multi-purpose project between the Telugu States, “to visit, examine the project and ascertain some facts.” Suryapet police stopped Mr. Udaya Bhanu’s vehicles near Bugga Madhavaram crossroad around noon and suggested that the contingent enter the project’s side through the territory of Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Udaya Bhanu could not cross the barricades erected by the Telangana police, who were deployed in large numbers there ever since tension escalated following the drawal of water by Telangana for power generation allegedly without necessary clearances, including from the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). Both the Andhra leader and the Suryapet police were firm, but eventually, he was made to turn back in the direction.
Mr. Udaya Bhanu spoke to mediapersons at the same site and condemned Telangana’s approach with regard to Krishna water sharing as per established rules by the Bachawat Tribunal. He also called the State police “undemocratic” for obstructing free movement. The YSRCP MLA objected to the “high-handed behaviour of the Telangana police,” saying that he was going to the project only to see the factual position. “Telangana government should legally take up power production at Pulichintala only when agricultural works are in progress in the 13 lakh acre Krishna delta under the project. But by producing power from June 29 till July 9, the water was just drained into the sea,” he said.
