HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has suggested implementation of two different schemes for utilisation of river waters by riparian States when the five member expert committee of the Centre on Krishna, headed by A.K. Bajaj, called on him here today.
One scheme on Godavari and Krishna for implementation by Maharashtra, Karnataka, AP and Telangana could be when there were copious rains which resulted in heavy discharge of flood to the States. The other scheme when water availability was poor due to slack rains. The latter situation made matters worse for lower riparian States because Maharashtra and Karnataka had constructed several projects in their boundaries which resulted in poor inflows, particularly to Telangana.
Mr. Rao emphasised to the committee that he was in favour of a mutual understanding between AP and Telangana rather than moving courts demanding their share in river water.
Discriminatory attitude
Referring to injustice to Telangana in irrigation in erstwhile AP, he said the then State government did not complete projects like Bheema though they had assured water allocation.
The government order for Palamuru project was issued during the tenure of N. Kiran Kumar Reddy but it was not completed.
When the TRS was elected to power and tried to take it up, the AP government set up obstacles.
On the other hand the AP government illegally constructed Pothireddy and Pulichintala then and now Mucchhumarri.
The rulers wanted Hyderabad as joint capital but refused drinking water allocation to the city from reservoirs.
Mr. Rao said the Telangana government was designing projects for itself on the basis of 954 tmc ft entitled to it in Godavari.
The AP government should also use its share in the river to optimum extent instead of confrontation with Telangana in Krishna where the availability of water is less.
He felt it was easier to divert Godavari water to coastal districts and Rayalaseema from Polavaram and Somasila reservoirs respectively.
He had conveyed the same to his AP counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu. Otherwise, about 2,000 tmc ft of Godavari water drained into the sea.
No confrontation
Instead of confrontation over 25 to 50 tmc ft water in Krishna, the Godavari water could be exploited fully. “Telangana government believes in live and let live”. It wanted cordial relations with neighbouring States. That’s why Karnataka released one tmc ft for Telangana in last summer and the latter entered into agreements on inter-State projects with Maharashtra.
He urged the committee to ensure that there was no allocation of water for illegal projects taken up by AP. There should be operation rules for AP and Telangana on Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar.
He sought the intervention of Centre in water sharing in different seasonal conditions.
