VIJAYAWADA: The YSR Congress party has decided to raise the issue of the ongoing water dispute with neighbouring Telangana State in the ensuing Parliament session. This was decided by the YSRC Parliamentary Party meeting, held under the leadership of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday. Senior party leader and Rajya Sabha Member V Vijayasai Reddy, after the meeting, said they would raise their voice against the whimsical attitude of Telangana in utilising water for power generation illegally and construction of illegal projects depriving Andhra Pradesh of its due share of water, in Parliament. Vijayasai said Andhra Pradesh is not drawing a single drop of water in addition to the allocated share from Srisailam nor it is augmenting a single acre of land through the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS).
“Telangana is in a position to draw water by operating lifts at 800 feet at Srisailam and can generate power at 796 feet. In these circumstances, water levels cannot reach 881 feet for Andhra Pradesh to draw water from Srisailam. That is why we have proposed RLIS to draw water at 800 feet through Pothireddypadu head regulator,’’ the RS MP said, adding Telangana constructed five lift irrigation schemes to store 5 tmc water during the tenure of former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Vijayasai further said that though water allocations were made to Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema and agreements were signed, Telangana is acting against the pacts. All these would be raised in Parliament, he said, adding they would also demand the Centre to notify the Vamsadhara Tribunal’s recent judgement in favour of Andhra Pradesh.
Asked as to why the Chief Ministers of the two States were not sitting together and sort out the dispute, Vijayasai Reddy maintained that though they might not be meeting personally, the two Chief Ministers and Union Jal Shakti minister held discussions virtually on a couple of occasions. “It is not true that talks are not going on,’’ he said.
Vijayasai said they would press for approval of Rs 55,656 revised cost estimates of the Polavaram project. “This issue has been pending with the Centre for the past 29 months. The Centre bears the entire cost of any national project, but the situation is different for Polavaram. The State is incurring the expenditure and is getting reimbursement by the Centre. Similarly, Rs 33,000 crore is needed for R&R package,’’ he said.
Vizag Steel Plant issue
Vijayasai said the issue of privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant would be raised by party MPs. Asked whether they would get time to raise all the issues concerning the State, he said they would utilise whatever time allotted to the party MPs to raise the issues.
He went on to add that the party will stand by its demand on Special Category Status. “Jagan Moon Reddy had met the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister for nearly a dozen times during his visit to Delhi and apprised them of the State’s demand for SCS,’’ Vijayasai explained.
Other issues
AP has to get pending electricity dues from Telangana State to the tune of Rs 6,112 crore. YSRC to demand Central intervention
MPs will demand that Centre release the pending arrears of Rs 5,056 crore related to ration rice
Release of MGNREGS arrears to the tune of Rs 6,750 crore
Approve Disha Act
Provide assistance for development of infrastructure facilities in 17,000 layouts
Approval for setting up of Tribal University in Saluru constituency of Vizianagaram
YSRC will also put before Parliament how effectively AP has tackled the Covid pandemic
‘Raju issue not worth a discussion by CM’
When reporters asked whether the petition filed by the party seeking disqualification of its Narasapuram MP K Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju was discussed in the meeting, Vijayasai said it is not an issue which needs to be discussed by the CM. “The CM need not discuss about a characterless person,’’ he retorted.