HYDERABAD: Telangana Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao wrote a letter to his AP counterpart Devineni Umamaheswara Rao on Tuesday, requesting him to attend the tripartite meeting on the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS). “I seek your cooperation and participation in a tripartite meeting to be held in Hyderabad on RDS, a long-pending issue, along with Karnataka government for an amicable resolution in the interests of the farmers of RDS ayacut in the three States. You may please indicate probable two dates for the meeting at the earliest,” the letter said.
Harish Rao told Umamaheswara Rao that Karnataka Water Resources Minister MB Patil, during a visit to Telangana on January 4, assured that the RDS modernisation works would be completed by July, for which the cooperation of AP government is required. Patil had suggested that a tripartite meeting of the ministers of the three States be held to resolve the issue and work out an action plan for completion of the works by July.
“I invite your attention to my earlier letter dated August 8, 2017 wherein you were requested to indicate probable dates of meeting for discussion on progress of modernisation of RDS and head works (Package-1). Several attempts were made at the chief engineer level to resolve the issue but in vain,” Harish Rao informed Umamaheswara Rao in the letter. Meanwhile, Devineni said that he would reply to the letter once he receives it.
If the RDS modernisation works are completed, Telangana can utilise its full share of Tungabhadra water and AP can draw 5 tmcft of water from the proposed right canal of RDS as agreed to by the Brijesh Kumar tribunal.