YSR Congress farmers’ wing leader M.V.S. Nagi Reddy has said that there is no use fighting for scrapping of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, as that is neither legally or logically possible.
Addressing participants of a dharna, amid unprecedented security, organised by the YSR Congress at Sitammavari Padalu protesting against tribunal award here on Tuesday, he observed, “A tribunal judgment once passed cannot be revoked. What we need to do now is to put a concerted effort for the constitution of Krishna River Valley Authority.”
It should be an autonomous body with the sole statutory power to release water. By doing so, the interests of the lower riparian State and the delta region of Krishna could be safeguarded, he said.
“The award has taken water flow at 65 per cent dependability,” he said, and added, “The Bachawat Tribunal had given 75 per cent dependability. This needs to be restored in the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal award as it will better our water position.”
Former Minister P. Subhash Chandra Bose, lashing out at TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu’s love for politicising any issue, alleged that Mr. Naidu twisted the contents of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s letter to rake up a controversy.
“YSR had never said that the State did not want surplus waters. He only mentioned that “we did not use any surplus water so far,” said Mr. Bose.
YSR went ahead with the initiation of projects such as Nagari and Handri-Neeva just to tap the surplus waters in future and against which Maharashtra and Karnataka raised objection in the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.
YSR Congress Krishna district convener Samineni Udayabhanu said Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, during his 10-year rule, did not initiate any project and also did not protest against raising of the Almati dam.
“Then Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister and Mr. Naidu held a great sway in New Delhi. Even then he did not raise any objection. He did not take up the Pulichintala project that was launched by N.T. Rama Rao,” he said.
Other leaders who protested included Jaleel Khan, P. Gowtham Reddy, Jogi Ramesh, Tadi Sakuntala, and P. Suresh Babu. When the leaders and the cadres tried to walk towards the Prakasam Barrage, they were taken into custody and later released.
Vijayamma’s visit
YSR Congress Party honorary president Y.S. Vijayamma will visit Pulichintala project to stage a dharna against the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal judgment and address the farmers on Wednesday at 10.30 a.m.
