Shekhawat's focus on Cauvery row miffs Jagan

Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is said to be miffed with the 'undue urgency' shown by the Union Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in visiting Karnataka to hear out its Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa over the Cauvery waters' dispute with Tamil Nadu. Shekhawat flew down to Karnataka amid his busy schedule on July 13 and discussed the imperative of the proposed Mekedatu project for Karnataka which is being objected to by the Tamil Nadu government. He then suggested a meeting of the two Chief Ministers at New Delhi for quickly resolving the issue.

This meeting has now come under the lens of Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has been demanding a similar 'enthusiasm' in resolving the Krishna waters dispute with Telangana. In fact, the dispute has only got exacerbated with the decision of the Telangana government to go for 100 per cent power production from Srisailam Left Power Project. Andhra Pradesh is facing an unprecedented situation with the neighbouring state going ahead with its full power production programme releasing precious water 'unnecessarily' into the sea through Srisailam Left Canal. Telangana is in no position to explain the exigencies of this move despite protests from the AP government. The fact that the Telangana has ordered 100 per cent power generation by Srisailam Left Power House contrary to the orders of the Krishna River Management Board, should have called for Centre's intervention, AP feels.

AP Chief Minister has written letters to the PMO as well as the Jal Shakti minister against the power generation, but to no avail. AP is now forced to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court in this regard. The time consuming legal process will only mean that Krishna waters will be wasted into the sea for no fault of AP. This would affect the irrigation of over 44,78,500 acres under the SRBC, Telugu Ganga Project, Nagarjunasagar, HNSS, GNSS, Veligonda, Guntur Channel, Krishna Delta system and drinking water supply to Chennai city depending on the waters.