Interlinking Of Krishna-Godavari Rivers : Kodandaram cautions government against project

Hyderabad: Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) chief Prof Kodandaram has felt that interlinking of Krishna and Godavari waters to divert water to Sicilian should not be done in a hasty manner.

Such a project would cost State exchequer a lot and also does not offer big benefit as additional water in Srisailam has to be shared with Maharashtra and Karnataka States apart from Andhra Pradesh, he stressed.

Addressing the media at party office on Wednesday, Kodandaram said if 1,000 tmcft water of Telangana share was diverted to Srisailam and from it 400 tmcft was given to other States, what is the benefit for us, he questioned.

He suggested that effective use of Godavari water by constructing projects at Kanthanapalli, Tummidihatti and also Dummugudam. Such measures would reduce burden on Krishna river, which can be utilised to meet the needs of South Telangana districts (erstwhile) including Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy.

While Godavari water can solve drinking water needs of the State capital, Manjira water can be supplied to Medak, parts of Ranga Reddy district etc, he felt.

Kodandaram wanted both Telugu States Chief Ministers to address pending bifurcation issues that were unsolved for last five years, including division of ninth and tenth schedule institutions, resolving electricity staff and fourth class staff issues and also distribution of assets.

The TJS chief also faulted government's decision to demolish existing Secretariat buildings and go for new construction of Secretariat and Assembly as both the projects are likely to cross Rs 800 crore budget.

He said this was not a wise decision as public money has to be spent for needs of the public and not for CM's needs.

The government should get its priorities right and focus on constructing permanent buildings for the several residentials schools, across the State, that started functioning from temporary accommodation in the last few years. Also, public money should be used to improve facilities and infrastructure at Osmania General Hospital, he said.

" Of the Rs 1,870 crore earmarked for construction of buildings for residential schools, only Rs 470 crore (just 25 percent) was spent by the government. Children are the future of the nation and the need of the hour is spending public money for their needs to ensure quality education," he said.

TJS plenary on July 13

Meanwhile, TJS has decided to hold its first plenary in GHMC limits on July 13, where it will chalk out its plans and activities for the next one year.

Pointing out that politics has become polluted with defection of elected representatives ruling the roost at present, Kodandaram said that TJS would debate on value based, people and issue focussed politics in the plenary meeting.