The Telangana State Government has opposed intervention of Karnataka Government in the construction of Palamuru Rangareddy lift irrigation project aimed at bringing areas in Mahabubnagar and Rangareddy districts which are reputed as drought-prone for the past few decades.
The State Government delegation which attended the 30th southern zonal council meeting in Thiruvanantapuram on Saturday made it clear that the dispute, whatsoever is related to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka was no way concerned with the project. The State’s argument was based on the fact that drawing water from Krishna river after entering Telangana was an issue between the two lower riparian states, Telangana and AP.
Telangana official delegation led by senior officials including Finance special chief secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao registered their protest against the recent order of the Union Power Ministry over the dispute on power dues between the two Telugu States. While the Ministry had directed the Telangana power utilities to repay more than ₹6,700 crore to their AP counterparts, the State officials contended that Telangana in fact should receive amounts to the tune of more than ₹12,500 crore from the utilities of the neighbouring State.
Telangana delegation led by Mr. Ramakrishna Rao was understood to have questioned the basis on which the Ministry of Power had given the orders. The State was firm that the agreement with the distribution companies of AP was commercial in nature and there was no scope for the Centre to involve in them.
“How can the Union Ministry issue directive disregarding all these factors?” a senior official questioned. The SZC meeting also discussed the pending dues between TS and AP on apportionment of dues pertaining to civil supplies corporations and division of New Delhi-based AP Bhavan between the two States.
