Southern States' meet on water dispute today

Hyderabad: It seems water disputes between the southern States are imminent in the future. The Union Government has called a crucial meeting on long pending Godavari - Cauvery river linking project with the Godavari basin states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu on Friday.

The Central agency National Water Development Agency (NWDA) identified three places in Telangana to lift water for the river linking project to meet the drinking water needs of Chennai and some other big cities in Tamil Nadu.

Official sources said that the NWDA has identified Ichampally in old Karimnagar district and Akinepally and Janampet in old Khammam districts as the lifting points of Godavari water for the river linking project. It is planned to take water from one of the finalised lifting points to the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir.

From there, water will flow to Somasila in Penna basin and reach Cauvery through gravity canal. Irked over this, the TS Government has decided to raise strong objections over the project. The government's argument is that the State would be deprived of its share of water from Godavari which happens to be a lifeline source for water to meet the growing irrigation and drinking water requirements of Telangana.

Top officials of state Irrigation department have prepared a strong counter to oppose the central move during the video conference with Jal Shakti officials on Friday. The officials will submit a report to the Union ministry of Jal Shakti raising strong objections to the proposal to link Godavari - Cauvery by lifting water from the Telangana reion.

Sources said that under the river linking project, the Centre wanted to lift 247 tmc feet of 'surplus' water from Godavari under the interstate river linking project. Out of 247 tmc feet, Tamil Nadu will be provided 85 tmc water for drinking needs and the remaining water will be supplied to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from Sagar reservoir.

"TS Government stand is very clear. There is no surplus water in Godavari. Whatever water is available in Godavari is just sufficient to fulfil the requirements of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh only," a Telangana official said.