AP objects to Telangana irrigation plans, approaches Centre

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Andhra Pradesh government today requested the Centre to immediately convene a meeting of the Apex Council, headed by Union Water Resources Minister, to discuss the construction of new irrigation projects on Godavari and Krishna by Telangana Government in "violation" of the AP Reorganisation Act-2014.
The AP Cabinet, that met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, also requested the Centre to ensure the Telangana Government did not proceed further with new projects on both rivers till the Apex Council resolved the issue.
The Cabinet adopted a resolution on the issue to be forwarded to the Centre, Naidu told newspersons.

"The Telangana Government has taken up construction of two new lift irrigation schemes in the K-7 lower Krishna sub-basin, Palamuru-Ranga Reddy (for 90 tmc ft) and Dindi (30 tmc ft).
"Besides, it has taken up enhancement of Kalwakurti lift irrigation scheme for drawing 40 tmc ft of water from the foreshore of Srisailam reservoir," the AP Cabinet said in the resolution.
It said Telangana has taken up construction of several new barrages on Godavari river (G5, G9 and G10 sub-basins).

These projects were neither appraised nor recommended either by the Central Water Commission or the respective River Boards constituted under the AP Reorganisation Act.

"The Telangana Government is proceeding with these projects in gross violation of procedures laid down in the statute that will adversely affect the people of AP.
"Therefore, the Council of Ministers unanimously resolved to place the facts before the Apex Council Chairman with a fervent appeal to convene a meeting pf the Council at the earliest to discuss the issues," the resolution said.
"We want an amicable resolution to the dispute without any acrimony. Upper riparian states cannot construct projects according to their whims. The projects should not damage the interests of others," the Chief Minister said.