Telangana to go ahead with projects which Centre tagged 'illegal'

Hyderabad: In a major decision, the State Government is learnt to have decided to continue the ongoing works on all irrigation projects which have been listed as illegal and unapproved by the Union Jal Shakti Ministry.

Recently, the Centre had issued a gazette notification giving full powers to KRMB and GRMB regarding maintenance of Krishna and Godavari waters and management of the projects.

At a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao till late on Saturday night, the CM instructed the officials to prepare DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) for all the projects which the Centre had listed as illegal projects.

The CM is said to have felt that the Centre declared the projects illegal without going into the details of these projects. The meeting found fault with the Jal Shakthi Ministry over its action. They should have first consulted the State Government before taking such a decision, KCR is understood to have said.

The government is of the opinion that the Centre was taking decisions which could adversely affect the State's interests based on the objections raised by Andhra Pradesh. Hence, KCR asked the officials to take up the issue with the Centre and insist that the two Boards should agree for sharing of Krishna and Godavari waters on 50:50 basis.

The two Boards, the meeting felt, were discharging their duties at the behest of Andhra Pradesh without taking into consideration the objections raised by Telangana. Sources said that the government was ready to wage a legal battle against the Centre and AP if injustice was meted to Telangana in the utilisation of river waters.

The projects which the Union Ministry had declared as illegal on river Krishna are: Srisailam Left Bank Canal, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Palamuru- Rangareddy, Dindi, AMRP, Bhakta Ramadasu and Thummilla.

The unapproved projects in Godavari basin in Telangana are: Kanthanapally, Kaleshwaram (1 tmc ft additional capacity), Pranahitha, Gudem, Mukteshwar, Sitarama Ramappa- Pakhal, Tupakulagudem, Modikuntavagu, Chowtpally Hanumanth Reddy and Kandukurthi.