CM Jagan wants PM Narendra Modi to rein in Telangana over water row

Amaravati: Irked by the refusal of Telangana Government to stop hydel-power generation from Srisailam, Pulichintala and Nagarjuna Sagar, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote a letter to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking their immediate intervention. The CM urged them to direct the Telangana government to stop illegal drawal of water for power generation. He said the TS government had not taken any permission from the Krishna River Management Board before resorting to power generation. The CM asked the Centre to notify the jurisdiction of KRMB and take over all offtakes of common reservoirs with the CISF protection and safeguard the interests of Andhra Pradesh.

In his 5-page letter, Jagan said the Telangana Government has issued a GO RT No 34 energy (Power II) dept Dt June 28, to generate hydro power to hundred percent of its installed capacities. This means that Telangana can utilise 4 tmc feet, 3 tmc ft and 1.8 tmc ft per day from Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala respectively. This would be in utter disregard to the orders issued by KRMB to stop power generation, he said. The CM said though there are instructions from KRMB not to draw water for power generation, the state of Telangana was unilaterally drawing water for power generation violating standard operating protocol and agreements. Such actions of Telangana are not in the interest of good inter-state relations and are adversely affecting the interests of lower riparian state of Andhra Pradesh. It will put the drinking and irrigation needs of four Rayalaseema districts, Nellore and Prakasam districts and drinking water requirement of Chennai city in serious trouble, the letter said. The Chief Minister also enclosed the copy of GO and other relevant documents with his letter.