State to release water for immediate needs of T.N.

CM responds to request by team from neighbouring State

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy receiving a representation from Tamil Nadu Ministers S.P. Valu Mani, D. Jaya Kumar and other officials on Friday.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has given orders to immediately release water for Tamil Nadu, which has been reeling under severe shortage of drinking water.

A delegation led by Tamil Nadu Municipal Minister S.P. Velu Mani, Minister for Fisheries and Administration Reforms D. Jayakumar and Principal Secretary Manivasan met the Chief Minister and explained to him the severe drinking water shortage the State was facing in general and the city of Chennai in particular.

They told him that “the blessings of all the 90 lakh people of Chennai would be with him” if water was released.

Responding immediately, Mr. Jagan ordered officials to take the necessary steps for the release of water to Tamil Nadu at the earliest.

Humanitarian gesture

Mr. Jagan said that when so many lakhs of people were suffering there was a need to respond to it on humanitarian grounds. The Chief Minister said neighbouring States should interact in a brotherly manner.

The Tamil Nadu Ministers thanked Mr. Jagan for responding so quickly on humanitarian grounds.

Earlier, the Chief Minister, speaking at a Diplomatic Outreach programme attended by envoys from over 30 countries, said that one of the strengths of Andhra Pradesh was the good relations it had with neighbouring States.