It could be like the clash of Titans. Both the chandras are meeting in Delhi to sort out the water issues. The crucial Apex Council meeting of both the Telugu State Chief Ministers and Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharathi will happen on 21st . Both the Chief Ministers gave their consent to the Ministry for the meeting.
Andhra Pradesh is alleging that Telangana government is taking up the irrigation projects without DPRs and permissions. The issue reached courts as well. The Telangana government claims that these projects were approved during United State and need no permissions. But AP government argues that these projects were redesigned and will need fresh permissions.
The court also added that any project in future had to be constructed only with the permission of the Apex Council. Accordingly, the center announced this meeting. It has to be seen if the CMs will make use of the opportunity and clear the differences.
Fresh trouble seems to be brewing between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with the Andhra Pradesh cabinet, led by chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, passing a resolution, seeking the Centre’s intervention in irrigation projects being taken up by Telangana on Godavari and Krishna rivers.
Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, for his part, vowed to complete the projects come what may,- “thunderbolts, lightening, or earthquakes”.
On his part Babu accused Telangana of violating the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act by constructing new projects on the two rivers flowing through the Telugu-speaking states. The AP Reorganisation Act is the framework according to which Telangana was split from the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh.
Chandrababu Naidu told that any water project can be taken up by Andhra Pradesh or Telangana only after approval from the river boards for Godavari and Krishna. He added that his government would file a complaint with the Union government to bring pressure on Telangana to comply with the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act.
The Godavari River Management Board and Krishna River Management Board have been formed to ensure harmony in water sharing between the two states. Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have large populations engaged in agriculture and water supply is a sticky political issue.
A Union government-appointed apex council, headed by the Union water resources minister, will oversee both the river water boards. Among its functions, the council is responsible for “planning and approval of proposals for construction of new projects, if any, based on Godavari or Krishna river water, after getting the proposal appraised and recommended by the river management boards and by the Central Water Commission, wherever required”, according to the Act.
The TS CM Chandrashekar Rao, opposed the jurisdiction of Krishna River Management Board, said Telangana would utilize its quota of 1,300 tmcft of water by completing all proposed projects on Krishna and Godavari.
Lets hope the issues would be sorted out with the intervention of the centre .
U.Srinivas – Editor
