VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Irrigation department is all set to respond when the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) approaches it on the reported probe ordered by the Centre on GO 203. “We have not received any communication from the KRMB regarding GO 203. We will respond accordingly,” Principal Secretary (Irrigation) Aditya Nath Das told TNIE. He maintained that the water utilization would be from AP’s share and not beyond that.
In the past, Andhra Pradesh too had brought State’s apprehensions on projects like Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme and new ones being constructed on the Godavari to the notice of the KRMB and the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) respectively, which are still pending, he pointed out.
He said it was up to the State to decide how and where to utilise its share of 512 TMC of Krishna water. “Through which outlet it is being used should not be a concern for others. However, we will abide by KRMB’s decision,” he said.
According to sources, the department is drafting its counter to the arguments put forth by Telangana objecting to the proposed modifications to Pothireddypadu Head Regulator. Stating that the plans of Andhra Pradesh, as revealed in the GO 203 issued by the Water Resources Department on May 5, were detrimental to the interest of Telangana, the water resources department of the neighbouring State approached the KRMB. Subsequently, Union Minister for Water Resources Gajendra Singh Shekhawat asked the KRMB to examine the AP’s GO 203.
Soon after the AP government issued the order on May 5, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao decried it and describing it as “illegal and detrimental to the interest of Telangana”. Describing it as painful, he said AP announced the new scheme without even consulting Telangana to lift water from the Srisailam project unilaterally.
He directed the State’s water resources department to lodge a complaint with KRMB. He also described it as illegal and in violation of the AP State Reorganisation Act, which stipulates that any new scheme or project, approval of the apex committee is needed, as the Srisailam is a combined project of both the States. But, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy maintained that the State was within its rights to take up the project which would not be in violation of anything and only the water allotted to the State would be used.