Protests erupted in Mahbubnagar district Thursday with TRS activists burning AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in effigy at several places against objections raised by the AP government to the proposed Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme. The TRS activists also called for a district bandh on Friday which was supported by employees and Telangana JAC.
The protests were the result of the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) letter to the Telangana government seeking a clarification on the project. AP Irrigation officials had last month sent a missive to the CWC complaining against the project.
The AP officials wanted the CWC to prevail upon the TS government and see to it that detailed project reports (DPRs) of the Palamuru-Rangareddy and Dindi LI schemes were submitted.
TS Principal Secretary (Irrigation) SK Joshi wrote a letter to his AP counterpart on Thursday clarifying that Palamuru-Rangareddy and Dindi were not new projects and had secured permissions in the combined AP state. The TS government is also likely to give a similar clarification to the CWC in a couple of days.
Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao took up the pending Palamuru-Rangareddy project to provide irrigation water to Mahbubnagar. But, AP contends that these two projects were not discussed at the Krishna River Management Board (KRBM).
In his letter, Joshi told his AP counterpart, “The two projects are not new, as administrative approval for Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS for detailed survey and preparation of DPR by allocating sufficient quantity of water was accorded in 2013 by the erstwhile AP government. Administrative approval for providing Lift from proposed Dindi Balancing Reservoir was also accorded by the erstwhile AP government in 2007.’’
By any stretch of imagination both these projects cannot be termed new projects, Joshi said, adding that it was ironical that necessary follow up action was not taken earlier on these two projects which were meant for meeting the most justified requirements of the people of Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda and Rangaredy districts.
“Both the projects are within the Krishna basin and TS is at full liberty to take up the projects as contemplated and sanctioned by the erstwhile AP government and as per the allocations made by the Bachawat Tribunal in respect of dependable waters and allowances made by it with regard to surplus waters,” he pointed out.
Joshi further stated that Telangana will take steps for seeking approvals of statutory authorities as and when required and at an appropriate time.
“In so far as functioning of KRMB and GRMB is concerned, the boards inter-alia are responsible (clause 84(8) a of the Act) for regulation of supply of water from the projects to successor States having regard to: (i) awards granted by the Tribunals constituted under the Inter-State River Disputes Act, 1956; (ii) any agreement entered into or arrangement made covering the Government of existing State of AP and any other State or Union Territory;”, Joshi explained.
Source: The New Indian Express