AP order on Rajolibanda irks TS

Hyderabad: The order issued by the Andhra Pradesh Government to prepare a detailed project report for the controversial Rajolibanda Diversion Right Canal Scheme (RDRCS) on Tungabhadra river, a tributary of river Krishna is likely to spark off a fresh controversy between the two states as it would adversely affect the interests of Telangana.

This move of the AP government has invited strong protest not only from the Government of Telangana but also from political leaders and farmers organisations. The TS government said the project was illegal and state would strongly oppose it.

The AP government on January 23 gave administrative sanction to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Rajolibanda diversion scheme near Bathhra Mommalapuramu village at Kosigi mandal in Kurnool district. The order says the project will serve drinking water and irrigation needs of western parts of Kurnool district. The officials said that Rs 2.09 crore had also been sanctioned for detailed investigation and preparation of the DPR.

The RDRCS was taken up as part of Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, an inter- state project between AP, Karnakata and Telangana. The Krishna water dispute Tribunal allocated 4 TMCFT of water for the project for the construction of the right bank canal in Kurnool district but following strong protests from Telangana organisations the tribunal stayed the order and the issue is now pending before the Supreme Court.

The issue of Rajolibanda diversion scheme widened the rift between Andhra and Telangana in united Andhra state when the then TDP government and later the Congress government led by YS Rajasekhara Reddy pursued the project. Finally, the project was put on back burner the intensified Telangana movement.

Talking to The Hans India Irrigation Advisor to the Telangana Government R Vidysagar Rao said the RDRCS was an illegal project. He said the Telangana government had taken serious note of the issue. “The TS government is preparing a report opposing the scheme and would submit it to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) immediately’, he said the issue will be raised in the next KRMB meeting, he said.

He pointed out the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal allocated water for the project earlier but stayed its orders when the Telangana organisations opposed the project in the undivided AP. Without specific allocation of water, the AP state has no right to take up any project on Krishna and its tributaries, he said.

Preparing DPR without permission from the Board attracts violation of agreements entered between AP and TS on water sharing. As per the rule the AP should seek permission from KRMB first and then forward the same to CWC (Central Water Commission) for approval. After that, the Apex Council should give its nod. The AP government bypassed all the mandated procedure, he added.

Reacting to the GO, Bachao Telangana Mission leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy said that the AP government was unnecessarily raking up a fresh controversy. Even the water allocation by Brijesh Kumar Tribunal was not settled yet and without that it was legally and morally wrong on the part of AP government to issue such a GO.

All India Kisan Sabha vice president S Malla Reddy said that the AP government’s move towards taking up the project was nothing but ‘instigating’ Telangana. Since the issue of implementation of Brijesh Kumar tribunal award on water sharing between two states was pending before the Supreme Court, the AP government has no right to take up any project until the court gives its verdict. Telangana TDP leaders were not available for comment.