VIJAYAWADA: Ahead of the Krishna River Management Board’s 12th meeting scheduled on June 4, the Union Jal Shakti Ministry has appointed A Paramesham as the board’s chairman. An office order, dated May 29, read: “It has been decided with the approval of the Union Minister of Jal Shakti that A Paramesham, a regular higher administrative grade officer of Central Water Engineering Services, is posted as chairperson of Krishna River Management Board, Hyderabad, with immediate effect till further orders.” Paramesham had been discharging duties as the member secretary of the board since October, 2017.
So far, the board was being chaired by J Chandrashekhar Iyer, who also heads the Godavari River Management Board. Meanwhile, the GRMB wrote to the Telangana irrigation principal secretary, urging the latter not to go ahead with new projects on Godavari as they are in ‘violation’ of the provisions in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. The board shot off a letter, dated May 30, following a complaint by the Andhra Pradesh government on May 14 raising objections against projects on Godavari.
Citing AP’s letter as a reference, GRMB member PS Kutiyal stated that the Union ministry had directed the board on the matter and accordingly told to convey that: “Since no new projects can be taken up on Godavari river without obtaining sanction from the apex council on river water resources constituted as per the APRA, 2014, the action of Telangana government, taking up new projects without them appraised by GRMB and without sanction from the apex council, is in violation of section 84 and para 7 of eleventh schedule of the Act.
Hence, government of Telangana shall not go ahead with the new projects, till the proposals are appraised by GRMB/Central Water Commission, and sanction of apex council is obtained.” The member also informed that the meeting will be convened ‘immediately’. It may be recalled that KRMB had written a similar letter asking the government of AP not to go ahead with new projects proposed on Krishna after the Telangana government raised an objection.
He served as member secretary of the board
Paramesham, who will take the charge from J Chandrashekhar Iyer, had been discharging duties as the member secretary of the river management board since October, 2017. The meeting on June 4 in Hyderabad assumes significance as it will be held at a time when both state governments are sparring over the projects on Krishna river