KRMB urged to stop illegal irrigation projects of Telangana

Vijayawada: Federation of Andhra Pradesh Water Users Associations president Alla Gopala Krishna Rao has demanded that the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) take steps to check illegal construction of irrigation projects by Telangana government upstream of Srisailam reservoir on Krishna river. He alleged that the Telangana government is illegally constructing irrigation projects without taking the approval from the Central Water Commission. He sent an e-mail to KRMB chairman MP Singh on Tuesday in the backdrop of KRMB meeting to be held in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Speaking to media at the Press club here, Gopala Krishna informed the details of the e-mail sent to the KRMB chairman.

He said Telangana government is illegally constructing irrigation projects to divert 255 TMC water and added that irrigation projects like Bhakta Ramadasu, Tummella Mission Bhagiratha, Palamuru-Rangareddy were taken up without permission of the CWC and two projects Nettempadu and Kalvakurti projects are being expanded. Gopala Krishna expressed apprehensions that about 30 lakh acres ayacut area under Nagarjuna Sagar in Andhra Pradesh will become barren land, if the Telangana government completes the irrigation projects constructed illegally on Krishna river.

He alleged that Telangana government is indiscriminately releasing water into Sagar, Srisailam and Pulichintala projects for power generation and causing huge loss to Andhra Pradesh. He underlined the need to check the illegal activities of the TS government on Krishna river. He recalled that Brijesh Kumar tribunal has allocated 512 TMC water to Andhra Pradesh and 299 TMC water to TS and stated that Andhra Pradesh has right to get 70 percent of its share. He said the Telangana government is foolishly arguing for 50 percent share in Krishna river water, which he said unacceptable. He requested the KRMB chairman Singh to delete the Prakasam barrage from the Gazette notification issued as it is totally in Andhra Pradesh. He demanded that KRMB office should be shifted from Hyderabad to Krishna river basin area of Vijayawada.

Water users association leader and Nagarjuna Sagar Left canal project committee former chairman N Pullaiah Chowdary, Krishna western Delta project committee ex-chairman Myneni Murali Krishna, Krishna Eastern Delta project committee former chairman Gutta Sivarama Krishna, executive committee members G Srinivasa Rao, Tummala Lakshmana Rao, B Ashok Kumar and other leaders from Prakasam and West Godavari districts attended the media conference in Vijayawada.