The Telangana government has questioned the motive of its Andhra Pradesh counterpart in filing a counter affidavit, requesting the Supreme Court not to take into consideration the special leave petition of the former government that the award of Brijesh Kumar tribunal in sharing of Krishna water should be stayed.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao said it had always been the stand of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) as a party before and after formation of Telangana State that the region suffered injustice in water allocation in the combined State. The same was conveyed to the tribunal and Centre.
The TRS government now filed a SLP in Supreme Court that the award of the tribunal be stayed until the allocation of water was finalised between Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka as against only three States in the past. However, the Andhra Pradesh government filed a counter in the apex court on Wednesday that the arguments and petition of Telangana should not be taken into account, Mr. Harish Rao said.
The act of AP was nothing but setting up obstacles in fair allocation of water to Telangana on the basis of catchment. Asked if Telangana would concede the demand of AP for 5 to 6 tmc ft water for drinking at this stage, Mr. Rao answered in the positive only if AP did not misuse the assistance to irrigate crops. Earlier, the Minister inaugurated a helpline on number 23472233 to answer calls on Mission Kakatiya. It will have 30 lines which will be operated from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
