Telangana State protests against AP irrigation projects on Krishna

Hyderabad: The State Cabinet on Saturday registered a strong protest against the construction of Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme and RDS (Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme) by the Andhra Pradesh government. To ensure optimum utilisation of available water, the cabinet ratified the proposal to take up a slew of projects on River Krishna to address irrigation and drinking water needs in the southern Telangana districts.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao discussed the status of ongoing irrigation project works and also the AP government's fast moves to complete the projects without approval from the Central agencies and the Telangana government.

The cabinet expressed displeasure over not allocating Telangana share from Krishna waters despite making several pleas to the Union government. The TS government already approached the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal against the illegal projects by the neighbouring state.

The Telangana government also withdrew petitions against the AP projects in Supreme Court to make easy for the Centre to address the long-pending water disputes between the two Telugu States. The cabinet demanded the Centre to constitute interstate water disputes tribunal immediately. The cabinet also ratified to construct Jogulamba barrage in old Mahbubnagar district to utilise 60 to 70 tmc ft of flood water from Krishna, Pulichintala left canal, Bhima flood canal, lift scheme at Nagarjunasagar tail pond and another lift scheme at Sunkeshula reservoir. The officials were asked to finalise the DPRs for all new projects.

The cabinet also gave its nod to utilise the power generated from hydel power generation projects to run lift schemes like Kaleshwaram, Devadula and other lift projects in the State.