HYDERABAD: Vedire Sriram, adviser (water resources) to the Maharashtra chief minister, on Tuesday accused both the former BRS regime and the present Congress government of a “double betrayal” of Telangana’s share of Krishna river waters, alleging that one accepted less while the other offered only assurances.
Addressing a press meet at the BJP state office, Sriram, a former adviser to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, said both governments had done injustice to Telangana in Krishna allocations.
He said the BRS government accepted 299 tmcft for Telangana in the Krishna basin at a MoJS meeting in 2015, missing the chance to press for the state’s original entitlement under the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.
Using a PowerPoint presentation on Krishna and Godavari basin projects and interstate allocations, Sriram said the BRS failed to use the 2015 window to correct allocations, while the Congress government limited itself to issuing GOs for projects without securing a firm water share. He alleged that both governments neglected Telangana’s interests in the Krishna basin.
Sriram said the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme was halted by the National Green Tribunal, not by any political party or government.
‘BRS ignored viable irrigation alternatives’
Sriram alleged that water lifting through the Potireddypadu head regulator had increased after the formation of Telangana compared to the undivided Andhra Pradesh period.
He criticised the BRS for spending about Rs 1.3 lakh crore on the Kaleshwaram project while, he claimed, investing less than Rs 20,000 crore in Krishna basin projects, which he said were vital for the state.
Sriram said the Centre was working to resolve disputes between the Telugu states and would ensure justice to Telangana in line with Krishna basin allocations.
He added that the Detailed Project Report for the Palamuru–Rangareddy project was returned as the state government failed to submit complete details and rectify errors, and that approvals would be granted once a revised DPR was submitted.
He further alleged that the BRS ignored an opportunity to lift water from Tummidihetti to Sundilla and deliberately shifted focus to Kaleshwaram, adding that the Centre had already cleared 383 tmcft for Telangana in the Godavari basin.