VIJAYAWADA: The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) has scheduled a meeting on the implementation of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) on Monday. The Union ministry has sent a communique to the chairmen of both the KRMB and GRMB to attend the meeting in New Delhi to discuss the modalities of addressing the issues flagged up by both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and the boards as well.
Sources in the state water resources department said that the ministry has held a preliminary meeting to review the status of implementation of the gazettes, dated July 15, notifying the long-pending jurisdictions of the boards to resolve the interstate water sharing issues. The notifications published in the gazette stated that they will come into effect from October 14.
Although both the Telugu states have agreed to cooperate with the Centre in the implementation of the jurisdiction, they have aired their concerns and sought amendments to the same. In fact, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandarsekhar Rao has requested Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to extend the date of implementation as there was not much time and concerns were still to be addressed.
The crux of the fine-tuning sought by AP, which has reportedly submitted its concerns to MoJS, is that the common projects in Krishna basin like Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala should be under the ambit of the board.
The other projects need not be entirely under the board, which can monitor the usage of the water by both the states and account it against the allocations. Furthermore, since no common projects are there in the Godavari basin, complete control need not be exercised, the State suggested. Similar views were reportedly expressed by Telangana as well. Both AP and TS have not committed to depositing `400 crore each for both the boards and informed that they would take their respective governments’ views and go ahead accordingly. AP also felt that there was no need for `200 crore for each board.
The Telugu state officials also wanted clarity on approval of some projects, which were completed in the erstwhile State itself but were classified as ‘unapproved’ in the schedules of the gazettes. The gazette stated that the unapproved projects need to be appraised within six months, failing which they shall cease to operate. Accordingly, the boards have asked the States to submit detailed project reports (DPRs) of the projects. However, the States have informed their concerns in the matter.
AP has also written to the Centre to include Veligonda, which officials said was mis-spelt as Venegondu in schedule XI of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, through amendment in the schedule. Due to the error, the project was included in the ‘unapproved’ list in the gazette notification and the board has sought the detailed project report for the same.
The boards have reportedly also prepared a draft for taking control of the projects and sent the same to the states, and the Centre is in the process of bringing the projects in schedule-II of the notifications under CRPF’s cover. It is learnt that in the review held by union water resources secretary Pankaj Kumar on Wednesday, the boards have apprised the officials on all the issues discussed with the states.
State demands on jurisdiction of boards
Common projects in Krishna basin like Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala should be under the ambit of the board
The other projects need not be entirely under the board, which can monitor the usage of the water by both the states and account it against the allocations
Since there are no common projects in the Godavari basin, complete control need not be exercised
Include Veligonda project through amendment in the schedule of APRA