Vijayawada: Water release from Sagar only to protect AP interests said Ambati Rambabu

Vijayawada : Defending release of water from Nagarjunsagar, irrigation minister Ambati Rambabu said the only objective behind the move is protecting rights of Andhra Pradesh. He alleged that due to failure of previous Chandrababu Naidu government, the state lost rights on Nagarjunsagar as he had ‘mortgaged’ rights of AP to come out of ‘vote for note’ case.

Speaking to media persons at party central office in Tadepalli on Friday, the minister said that due to inefficiency of Naidu, Telangana government took possession of dam gates and dam site resulting in AP people having to take permission to enter the dam site. “During 2015, when the then TDP government sought the release of water, the Telangana government objected. Where is the necessity of taking permission from Telangana to release our share of water from Nagarjunsagar? 2,000 cusecs of water was released from Sagar for drinking water purposes on Thursday,” he said.

The minister said regarding sharing of Krishna water, AP has a share of 66 per cent and Telangana 34 per cent. He alleged that that the Telangana government has been using Krishna water for power generation at Srisailam.

He said as per AP Reorganisation Act, 13 gates of Nagarjunsagar come under AP out of total 26 gates. Water will be released through Sagar right canal to Guntur and Prakasam districts. However, the Telangana government forcefully took possession of 26 gates causing loss to AP.

Condemning the remarks of BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari who found fault with sending police force to dam site, Rambabu said that Purandeswari has been reacting as TDP leader while the AP government was trying to protect its rights on Nagarjunsagar. He also refuted the allegations that the AP government acted all of a sudden at Nagarjunsagar to help the TRS government to win the elections. He said that protecting the interests of AP is main concern for the government.