A six-hour long meeting between Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Monday ended in both of them reaching an understanding to divert water from Godavari river to ayacut in Krishna basin for optimal utilisation of river waters in the two riparian States.
It was decided that they will look in detail at the next meeting on the point from where Godavari will be diverted and places where the water will reach. How the water will be utilised and the model for the purpose will also be discussed, a release after the meeting said. Mr. Rao and Mr. Reddy met at the former’s camp office here and decided to adopt a give and take approach between the two States in all administrative matters. They asked the Chief Secretaries of their respective States over phone from the meeting hall to meet shortly to resolve pending issues of bifurcation of institutions listed under Schedules 9 and 10 of AP Reorganisation Act.
The release said the Chief Ministers had prolonged discussion over diversion of Godavari water to Krishna basin in the background of uncertain conditions every year over yield of water in Krishna.
It was noted that the yield was not uniform in Krishna each year. The water availability in the river was sparse several times. This was a loss to farmers in the ayacut of Krishna in Rayalaseema of Andhra Pradesh and Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda of Telangana. The crops in the basin do not get enough water. So, it will be wise to divert Godavari water which is in abundance to ayacut of Krishna whenever required.
While continuing to use Krishna water from Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar projects, the lands in this river basin could be supplemented with flows from the Godavari. It will ensure utilisation of Godavari water in a projected manner in less time and expenditure, Mr. Rao and Mr. Reddy felt.
As regards contentious issues between the two States in Schedule 9 and 10 institutions, they felt it can be resolved without difficulty with mutual cooperation and understanding. A needless controversy was raked up on them, they stated.
The meeting also discussed national and regional politics and various other issues concerning the two States. Mr. Reddy was accompanied by YSR Congress MPs Mithun Reddy, V. Vijaysai Reddy and V. Prabhakar Reddy. Mr. Rao hosted a lunch before the discussions.
