'Telangana Leaders Driving a Wedge Between Ryots in 2 States'

Irrigation minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao has challenged Telangana leaders to prove

VIJAYAWADA: Irrigation minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao has challenged Telangana leaders to prove if the water released for drinking water purposes in Krishna Delta is being used for irrigation purposes. He alleged that that they are unnecessarily trying to kick up a controversy over  release of water with political intentions to create differences among the farmers on both sides of the divide.

Speaking to media at his Camp Office here Thursday, the minister said that while 4.02 TMC water was released from the Nagarjuna Sagar Project (NSP) over the past nine days, 1.86 TMC water reached Wajinepalli and 1.42 TMC flowed up to Prakasam Barrage. “When the quantum of water released was not even sufficient for drinking purposes, how can Telangana leaders complain that water is being diverted for cultivation. Only after the Central Water Commission (CWC) team found out that water is not being diverted, the order has been passed to continue release of 6000 cusecs from NSP for another week,” he added.

Umamaheswara Rao vowed that AP would present its argument before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal and appoint expert advocates to argue AP’s case in the Supreme Court. He said the CWC would hold a meeting in the fourth week of July with officials of four states and said that they would explain all their problems at the meeting.

The minister questioned the Telangana government’s claims of setting up lifts at Jurala and Srisailam projects. He also questioned the need for new project works while irrigation works under the Jalayagnam to a tune of `70,000 crore were pending in Telangana.

He released a 100-day action plan for the Irrigation Department on the occasion. The action plan aims at conserving water and educating farmers on better water management techniques. The plan also stresses on the erection of gates of Pulichintala project and expediting the process of making Polavaram Project Authority operational. Irrigation chief engineer incharge S Ramesh Babu and deputy superintending engineer K Ramakrishna were present.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com