KCR makes strong point on jurisdiction of river boards

 New Delhi/ Hyderabad: The State Government feels that the Centre would positively respond to the arguments put forward by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao before Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and would agree to defer its implementation of the gazette notification on the jurisdiction of KRMB and GRMB (Krishna and Godavari River Management Boards) in the management of projects and river water sharing between the two Telugu States. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao in his presentation urged the Union Minister to make amends to the gazette notification and bring only joint irrigation projects like Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar under the purview of the river management boards. He said that the management of all other projects should be left to the respective States. Top official sources told The Hans India that KCR had explained in detail the hurdles to be faced by the State once the notification comes into being from October. He pointed out that without finalising sharing of Krishna and Godavari water between the two states, it would be a difficult task to manage and maintain the projects by the boards. KCR during his 40-minute meeting is learnt to have urged Shekhawat to put on hold the notification until the issues raised by the Telangana Government were addressed.

It is learnt that the Union Minister agreed to consider it. Official announcement is likely by the first week of October. The chief minister further appealed to the Union Minister to allocate water on 50:50 per cent share between the two States. He reiterated the demand for action against the Andhra Pradesh government for taking up projects like Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation scheme ( RLIS) 'illegally'.