Telangana to push for national status to Kaleshwaram

Hyderabad: According national project status to the prestigious Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, demanding for the interlinking of rivers from Himalayas to Godavari, exploitation of the Krishna river by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh along with issues pending with regard to water sharing between the two states will be raised by the Telangana government in the Southern States Irrigation Ministers’ conference, which is being organised in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal will preside over the daylong meeting with the ministers and deliberate issues which include pending water disputes between the states, central assistance to the states in the completion of pending irrigation projects and the clearances for projects from the Union government. 

The Centre’s proposal to interlinking canals and the objections from the states will also take centre-stage in the meeting. Telangana, AP, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pudhuchhery and Kerala state representatives will take part in the meeting. Officials said that Telangana Irrigation Minster T Harish Rao will make a brief presentation on the Telangana government’s efforts in the optimum utilisation of Krishna and Godavari waters and the hurdles facing from the neighbouring Andhra state in the release of its share of water for irrigation and drinking purpose during the water crisis.

In the preparatory meeting held with the officials, the minister said that interlinking of rivers from Himalayas to Godavari river will strengthen the Southern water grid network. The issues pertaining to the functioning of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and the deadlock on the allocation of water between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from the Krishna river will also be discussed. 

“Irrigation Minister is planning to expose AP’s misdeeds in release of water to Telangana and the excess withdrawal of water from Pothireddypadu and Banakacharla head regulators by the neighbouring Andhra state,” said an official.

Telangana state is supporting interlinking of the rivers. But the state will bring to the notice of the Union minister about its reservations on the particular issue. The government has been demanding finalisation of Krishna water sharing between AP and Telangana before taking any decision on river linking and finalisation of projects maintenance by the KRMB. Officials said that the TS government will also discuss about the release of funds for the irrigation schemes taken up under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in time.