Harish for speedy fix to water rows

Hyderabad: State government has demanded the Centre not to take up interlinking of rivers until water sharing disputes are resolved. 

Minister for Irrigation T Harish Rao and Chief Secretary S K Joshi, at the one-day Southern States Irrigation Ministers conference here on Tuesday, made a brief presentation on the utilisation of river Krishna and Godavari waters by the State, water disputes pending with Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and the exploitation of river Krishna waters by Andhra Pradesh. Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal presided over the conference.

Though Telangana State is not against interlinking of rivers, Harish Rao urged the Minister to finalise water share in river Godavari and Krishna for the State. Telangana State had been allocated 954 tmcft  of water in river Godavari. In view of construction of new projects on river Krishna by the neighbouring States, Telangana State was deprived of water from river Krishna. The only solution to compensate shortage of Krishna water is to increase allocations from river Godavari to meet the irrigation and drinking water needs.

Harish Rao brought to the notice of the Minister that Brijesh Kumar Tribunal allowed upper riparian State of Karnataka to construct new dams on river Krishna. As a result, Telangana State was facing scarcity of water. Joshi rubbished Andhra Pradesh government’s claim that Telangana State had utilised 260 tmcft of water in excess of 299 tmcft allotted to the State form river Krishna.  

The Minister suggested diversion of rivers from Himalayan region to river Godavari. It is the right solution to address water crisis in future. This initiative would help strengthen southern water grid.  

The Minister lodged a complaint with the Union Minister against Andhra Pradesh for obstructing the modernisation of RDS (Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme). He said the experts committee suggested increase in the height of RDS barrage by one metre, but AP objected, citing ayacut under Sunkesula barrage would be affected. Harish Rao requested Meghwal to resolve the RDS issue as Karnataka already gave its nod.  

The Minister also clarified no new project was taken up by Telangana State. Kaleshwaram had been taken up in the united Andhra State, he said. Telangana State government is supporting the Centre’s decision to constitute a single national level tribunal to resolve water disputes between the States.