HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Irrigation officials who attended the Reservoir Monitoring Committee meeting on Monday insisted that the maintenance of the curve rules that specify the storage or empty space to be maintained during different times of the year and operation protocols for Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects, being defined by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), should be in accordance with the awards of the Krishna Tribunal.
Telangana officials skipped the Reservoir Monitoring Committee meeting. They had avoided the committee’s meeting held in the past too. However, Andhra Pradesh officials attended the meeting. Speaking to reporters later, AP Irrigation chief engineer C Narayana Reddy said that the KRMB officials clarified their doubts in the meeting. The Board officials also accepted the proposals made by Andhra Pradesh, he said.
Reddy said that they wanted the KRMB to accord top priority for irrigation and drinking water needs as per the Tribunal award. Right from the beginning AP has been opposing the hydel power generation at Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar by Telangana. The AP officials also wanted the KRMB to supply drinking water to Chennai in two spells.
The details of the reservoir monitoring committee meeting would be placed before the Board meeting to take a final decision. Telangana officials said that in the minutes it should be recorded that only AP officials presented their views while Telangana abstained from attending the meeting. The minutes should not describe it as a full-fledged meeting of the committee, the Telangana officials insisted later.
No consensus
This has not been the first time that the officials form Telangana State skipped the Reservoir Monitoring Committee meeting. They have avoided the committee’s meetings in the past too
AP has been opposing the hydel power generation at Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar by Telangana
AP Irrigation chief engineer C Narayana Reddy said that the panel had accepted their suggestions
Reddy added that they wanted the KRMB to accord top priority for irrigation and drinking water needs as per the Tribunal award
The minutes should not describe it as a full-fledged meeting of the committee, the Telangana officials insisted later