Telangana, Andhra CMs to attend Centre''s meeting on water issues

Hyderabad, Jul 15 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu would attend a meeting on water issues being facilitated by the Centre on June 16, Telangana government sources said on Tuesday.

The meeting is initiated by the Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, it added.

The Telangana government would press the Centre to give approvals and funds to its long-pending projects, they said.

Asked whether the Polavaram (Godavari)-Banakacharla river-linking project proposed by Andhra Pradesh government would be discussed, the sources said the Telangana side would insist on approval for its pending projects first.

The Telangana government had earlier conveyed its objection to the Centre for Andhra's Banakacharla river-linking project, saying that it hurts Telangana's interests.

The Telangana government on Monday decided to intensify efforts and "mount pressure" on the Centre to safeguard its rightful share of Krishna and Godavari river waters.

The state government would push for central approvals for its projects on the Krishna River, seek finalisation of water allocations and request financial assistance for the projects.

CM Revanth Reddy directed officials to take steps to protect the state's interests in Godavari river water and find "permanent solutions" to "years of neglect", a state government release said on Monday.

The state government accused the previous BRS regime of "failing" to secure the state's share in Krishna waters despite being in power for 10 years.

The BRS government had agreed to Telangana getting 299 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) of water as its share, while neighbouring Andhra Pradesh got 512 TMC, it said.

The release further alleged that the BRS government remained silent while Andhra diverted Krishna water and built "illegal" projects.

Naidu had earlier said the Polavaram (Godavari)-Banakacharla project is aimed at taking surplus Godavari waters to the drought-hit regions of Andhra.

He had highlighted that Telangana need not worry as only excess water from the Godavari river will be utilised, which otherwise would drain into the sea. PTI SJR SJR ADB