By: Chandrashekhar
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis have agreed to form a joint experts’ committee to thrash out contentious issues on inter-state irrigation projects from time to time and complete them early.
The two Chief Ministers had a lengthy meeting that spanned for over two-and-a-half hours in Mumbai on Tuesday to sort out differences over Pranahitha-Chevella, Inchampally, Lendi, Lower Penganga under implementation in Telangana and several check-dams taken up by Maharashtra across the Godavari and its tributaries. The projects are aimed at creating irrigation potential and providing drinking water.
The two Chief Ministers resolved to coordinate with each other in utilising Godavari waters efficiently by settling issues such as land acquisition, payment of compensation, settling court cases, addressing the concerns of people in submergence areas with the help of the joint experts committee, according to the Chief Minister’s office.
Speaking to newspersons later, Mr. Fadnavis said Maharashtra and Telangana would have give-and-take approach on the issue of irrigation projects as they were neighbouring States. Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said as a new State, Telangana was interested in cordial relations with neighbouring States, particularly in the issue of water sharing.
He thanked Mr. Fadnavis for responding positively on the projects involving inter-state contentions.
In response to Mr. Fadnavis’s claim that the present design of Pranahita-Chevella would submerge land in 30 villages of Gadchirowli and Chandrapur districts, Mr. Rao said alternative designs were being prepared to reduce the submergence area.
Source: The Hindu