Telangana Government files SLP against Andhra Pradesh in apex court

Hyderabad: The Telangana Government has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court seeking directions to Andhra Pradesh Government to stop the ongoing process of tenders and construction of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project (RLIP) and enhancement of Pothireddypadu Head Regulator by diverting Krishna water from the Srisailam reservoir.

The Irrigation officials said that the government filed the petition through e-filing system and hoped that the issue will come up for hearing in two or three days.

The Government has brought to the Apex Court's notice that the neighbouring State was moving fast to divert Krishna water without seeking any approval from the Krishna River Water Board and Apex Council also. As per the provisions in the AP Reorganisation act, it is mandatory that the two Telugu States will have to seek the permission from central bodies, including the Central Water Commission to take up new projects on Krishna and also on the Godavari river.

The Telangana government has informed the court that AP Government had issued a GO (203) on May 5, 2020 specifying its plans to take up RLIP and to expand Pothireddypadu to increase its water drawal capacity to 80,000 cusecs.

In the petition, the TS government pointed out that the Andhra government was planning to draw 8 tmc ft of water by taking up the two projects without any consent from the upper riparian State also.

Chief Minister, who also holds Irrigation portfolio, already instructed a group of senior Irrigation officials to pursue the issue seriously and make strong arguments before the court with valid evidences in the hearing. Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has informed the Telangana and AP Governments about the postponement of the meeting and next date for the meeting will be intimated soon to discuss the objections raised by TS and AP government against the projects taken up by two States.