Hyderabad: Godavari Board sets deadline

Hyderabad: The Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) has set June 10 as the deadline for submission of the detailed project reports (DPRs) by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are also told to give agenda for Apex Council meeting to sort out water issues. While Andhra Pradesh government said that the GRMB should not ask for DPRs for the projects sanctioned before 2014, the Telangana government differed with them. Telangana officials said that they would first discuss the issue of submitting the DPRs to GRMB only after discussing it with the Chief Minister.

It may be mentioned here that both the Telugu states had lodged a complaint against each other with the board opposing construction of new projects across Godavari and Krishna rivers. The officials of both the states presented their arguments trying to find fault with each other at the meeting of the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) held here on Friday.

It may be mentioned that both the states justified taking up new projects on River Krishna before the Krishna River Management Board on Thursday.

In a repeat performance, officials of both states argued that they were within their right to go ahead with the projects over the Godavari river within their territory.

GRMB chairman Chandrasekhar Iyer after hearing both the sides asked them to submit detailed project reports of the projects being planned on the Godavari river by June 10. Based on the study of the DPRs the Board would give their recommendations to the Apex Council, he said.

The interesting point here is that the GRMB has even sought detailed project reports of not only the projects against which complaints had been received but also the DPR of Sriramsagar project which was opened in 1977.

Andhra Pradesh has alleged that Telangana has been using 400 tmc ft of Godavari water without permissions. It has alleged that new projects have been constructed on the river leading to loss to Andhra Pradesh.

The AP officials said that Telangana has taken up Kaleshwaram, Godavari Phase -3, Kanthanapalli, Devadula, Chanaka-Korata and Bhakta Ramadasa projects on Godavari without the permission of Apex Council.

However, Telangana officials have refuted these allegations and said that the projects, including Pranahita-Chevella on Godavari have been cleared during the erstwhile combined Andhra Pradesh period.

He said that Andhra Pradesh has diverted about 80 tmc ft of water from Godavari to Krishna basin through Pattiseema project and as per previous awards on using river water, Telangana should be given 45 tmc ft of water from Polavaram project. It should also give more share from Krishna river. He said that Telangana has been given about 967 tmc ft of assured water in Godavari before the bifurcation of the state.