భారతీయ సినిమాకు గర్వకారణంగా నిలిచిన దర్శకుడు ఎస్‌.ఎస్‌.రాజమౌళి ఎన్నో అద్భుతమైన చిత్రాలను అందించారు. ప్రతి ప్రేక్షకుడికి ఆయన సినిమాల్లో ఒక ఫేవరెట్‌ మూవీ ఉంటుంది. అలాగే రాజమౌళి గారికీ తన హృదయానికి దగ్గరైన సినిమా ఒకటి ఉందట. అది ఏంటో ఇటీవల ఒక ఈవెంట్‌లో బయటపెట్టారు.
జూనియర్ ఎన్టీఆర్ ప్రీ-రిలీజ్ కార్యక్రమంలో ప్రత్యేకంగా జరిగిన ప్రశ్నోత్తరాల్లో ఈ విషయం వెలుగులోకి వచ్చింది. స్క్రీన్‌పై ఆయన గత సినిమాల కొన్ని ఫ్రేమ్స్ చూపించారు. అందులో ‘ఈగ’ ఫ్రేమ్ వచ్చినప్పుడు అదే తనకు అత్యంత ఇష్టమైన సినిమా అని రాజమౌళి చెప్పేశారు. ఆశ్చర్యకరమైన విషయం ఏమిటంటే మగధీర, సై, బాహుబలి, RRR వంటి బ్లాక్‌బస్టర్స్ ఉన్నా, ఆయనకు బెస్ట్‌గా అనిపించింది మాత్రం ‘ఈగ’ అని.
ఫ్యాన్స్ మాత్రం ఆయన నుంచి బాహుబలి లేదా RRR పేరు వినాలని అనుకున్నారు. కానీ ఈగ అని చెప్పడంతో చాలామందికి కాస్త ఆశ్చర్యమే కలిగింది. ఈ సినిమా క్రియేటివిటీ, కాన్సెప్ట్‌ విషయంలో ఎంత ప్రత్యేకమో అందరికీ తెలిసిందే. కాబట్టి రాజమౌళి మనసులో ఈగకు ఎందుకు అంత ప్రాధాన్యం ఉందో ఈ మాటలతో మరొక్కసారి స్పష్టమైంది.
Pooja Hegde: A Star Shining Bright in Indian Cinema
Pooja Hegde, born on October 13, 1990, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, is a celebrated actress and model whose charm and talent have captivated audiences across multiple Indian film industries. From her early days in pageantry to her flourishing acting career, Pooja’s journey is one of determination, hard work, and brilliance.
Early Life and Education
Pooja hails from a Tulu-speaking Bunt family originally from Udupi, Karnataka. Raised in Mumbai, she grew up in a culturally rich environment with strong academic values instilled by her parents, Manjunath and Latha Hegde. After completing her schooling, she pursued a Master of Commerce degree at M.M.K. College in Mumbai. Pooja is a polyglot, fluent in Tulu, Hindi, English, Marathi, and Kannada, reflecting her diverse upbringing.
Beauty Pageants and Early Recognition
Pooja’s entry into the limelight began with beauty pageants. While her first attempt at Miss India 2009 saw an early exit, she returned with determination to clinch the title of second runner-up at Miss Universe India 2010. She also bagged the special title of Miss India South Glamorous Hair, signaling her potential as a rising star.
Journey in Films
Tamil Debut
Pooja made her acting debut in the Tamil superhero film “Mugamoodi” (2012). She portrayed Shakthi, a lively and endearing character who became an integral part of the story. Her performance showed promise and paved the way for her cinematic journey.
Telugu Stardom
Pooja transitioned to Telugu cinema with “Oka Laila Kosam” and “Mukunda” in 2014, showcasing her ability to adapt to diverse roles. These films earned her recognition and established her as a leading actress in the South Indian film industry.
Bollywood Breakthrough
In 2016, Pooja entered Bollywood with Ashutosh Gowariker’s historical epic “Mohenjo Daro”, starring opposite Hrithik Roshan. While the film received mixed reviews, Pooja’s performance was noted for her elegance and screen presence.
Rise to Prominence
Pooja’s career reached new heights with blockbusters like “Duvvada Jagannadham” (2017) alongside Allu Arjun and “Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava” (2018) with Jr. NTR. Her role in “Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo” (2020) cemented her position as a top-tier actress in Telugu cinema.
In Bollywood, Pooja appeared in successful ventures such as “Housefull 4” (2019) and “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan” (2023), further broadening her appeal to Hindi-speaking audiences.
Upcoming Projects
Pooja’s upcoming projects include an exciting romantic drama alongside Dulquer Salmaan, marking their first collaboration. She is also teaming up with Varun Dhawan in “Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai”, directed by David Dhawan. These ventures are expected to add new dimensions to her career.
Beyond the Screen
Pooja Hegde is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and has a passion for fashion, travel, and photography. Her hobbies include reading, singing, and exploring new cultures, making her a multifaceted personality admired by fans. On social media, she frequently shares glimpses of her life, inspiring millions with her style and positivity.
Awards and Accolades
Pooja’s talent has been recognized with several prestigious awards. She received the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut for “Mohenjo Daro” in 2017 and the SIIMA Award for Best Actress (Telugu) for “Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo” in 2020.
In a big legal setback, Vallabhaneni Vamsi has landed himself in new trouble as the Supreme Court canceled the anticipatory bail previously extended to him by the High Court in a case of illegal mining.
The High Court had earlier granted anticipatory bail to Vamsi without providing any opportunity to the state government to place its case before it. The Andhra Pradesh government challenged this action in the Supreme Court, which condemned the lower court’s order and highlighted the requirement of observing due legal process.
Acting on the petition, the Supreme Court earlier directed the state government to file all information pertaining to the illegal mining case in a sealed envelope. Having scrutinized the information that was submitted, the bench held that approving bail without listening to the government was not apt and set aside the High Court’s order.
The apex court has now instructed the High Court to re-examine the case, listen to both parties, and issue a fresh ruling based solely on the merits of the case. However, it clarified that the matter concerning PT warrants or deeper criminal elements will not be addressed at this point. The state government requested one week to file a counter, and the Supreme Court directed the High Court to conclude the hearing and deliver a verdict within four weeks thereafter.
With the anticipatory bail now cancelled, Vamsi is again at risk of arrest. Although PT warrants had been issued earlier, they couldn’t be enforced due to the previous bail order. Now, with that protection removed, the police may proceed with action, though they are expected to wait until the High Court delivers its final verdict.
The AP Police Officers Association came under fire over former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s comments targeting the police. Association President Janakula Srinivasa Rao strongly condemning Jagan’s comments said that criticizing the police on every issue has become a norm. He deplored for blaming that the police system is there to arrest YCP leaders and lamented it is not an excuse for a person who worked as the Chief Minister to say that conspiracies are being made without providing him protection.
He advised people to know that no one is above the law and even in the YCP government, they filed cases against those who acted illegally and they made arrests. He was angry that putting the police in VR was done in the previous government. He said that action against the officers who were accused was natural and wanted to remember how many policemen were set aside in the previous YCP government?
He expressed anger that it was wicked to say that the police were distributing shares to MLAs and ministers. He said that it was wrong to call a DIG-level officer a don. He questioned what it meant to target the DGP who runs the police system? Herecalled that law and order in the state is under control under his leadership.
Srinivasa Rao cautioned that it is not right to speak in a way that belittles the police as a whole. He made it clear that the police will never turn their backs on anyone and they will work according to the law, regardless of which government they are in. He said that if there is trouble due to the police, they can take action through the courts.
He asked that the police system should not be used for politics. He said that Jagan Mohan Reddy is being provided security as per the rules and IPS officer Siddhartha Kaushil resigned for his own reasons. He was angry that the matter was spread falsely by attributing it to the DGP and the government. He recalled that he was the state president in the YSRCP government as well.
“We will respond in the same way to whoever belittles our police system. We are submitting requests to the government regarding the dues due to us. Criticizing the police in every dispute has become common. This policy is not correct, no one should speak in a way that hurts our sentiments. We asked Jagan earlier and Chandrababu today to give special PRC to the police”, he said.
“No one is immune to the law. If someone does something wrong, they will have to face the bars. In some movies, police are shown as villains. We have written a letter to the censor board on such scenes. This time we have decided to file cases in the courts”, he added.
137 రోజులు జైలులో గడిపిన తర్వాత.. బయటకు వచ్చిన వల్లభనేని వంశీకి బెయిల్ అనేది మూన్నాళ్ల ముచ్చటగా మారనున్నదా? ఆయన మీద నమోదు అయిన అనేక కేసుల్లో కొన్నింటిలో ముందస్తు బెయిళ్లు, కొన్నింటిలో షరతులతో కూడిన బెయిళ్లు లభించిన నేపథ్యంలో.. ఆయన జైలునుంచి బయటకు వచ్చారు. కానీ ఒక కేసులో ప్రభుత్వం వాదనలు పూర్తిగా వినకుండానే.. హైకోర్టు బెయిలు మంజూరు చేయడం ఇప్పుడు చర్చనీయాంశం అవుతోంది. సుప్రీం కోర్టు తాజాగా.. బెయిల్ ఉత్తర్వులను పక్కన పెట్టి.. ప్రభుత్వ వాదన కూడా విన్న తరువాత మాత్రమే హైకోర్టు నిర్ణయం తీసుకోవాలని ఆదేశించడంతో.. వంశీ బెయిలు పరిస్థితి సందిగ్ధంలో పడింది. ఇప్పటికిప్పుడు అరెస్టు జరగకపోయినా.. హైకోర్టులో విచారణలు పూర్తయ్యాక గానీ.. నింపాదిగా ఊపిరి పీల్చుకోలేని పరిస్థితి!
వివరాల్లోకి వెళితే.. గన్నవరం మాజీ ఎమ్మెల్యే వల్లభనేని వంశీమీద అనేక కేసులు ఉన్నాయి. గన్నవరం టీడీపీ కార్యాలయంపై దాడి, సత్యవర్ధన్ కిడ్నాప్, భూకబ్జాలు, నకిలీ ఇళ్లపట్టాలు ఇలా వివిధ కేసుల్లో ఆయన 137 రోజులు జైల్లో గడిపారు. బెయిళ్లు వచ్చిన తర్వాత విజయవాడ జైలునుంచి ఈనెల 2న బయటకు వచ్చారు. అయితే వల్లభనేని వంశీ మీద అక్రమ మైనింగుకు సంబంధించిన కేసు కూడా ఉంది. ఈ కేసు విషయంలో రాష్ట్ర ప్రభుత్వం వాదనలు వినకుండానే.. హైకోర్టు ముందస్తు బెయిల్ మంజూరు చేసిందని ఆరోపిస్తూ.. ప్రభుత్వం సుప్రీంను ఆశ్రయించింది. ఏపీ ప్రభుత్వ పిటిషన్ ను అనుమతించిన సుప్రీం కోర్టు.. వంశీకి బెయిల్ ఇస్తూ హైకోర్టు ఇచ్చిన తీర్పును పక్కన పెట్టింది. అదే సమయంలో రాష్ట్రప్రభుత్వ అభ్యర్థనను పరిశీలించి ఆ మేరకు ఈ పిటిషన్ పై తాజాగా మళ్లీ విచారణ చేపట్టాలని హైకోర్టును ఆదేశించింది. కేసు మెరిట్స్ లోకి తాము వెళ్లడం లేదని, హైకోర్టు ఇరుపక్షాల వాదనలను పూర్తిగా విన్న తరువాత నిర్ణయం తీసుకోవాలని ఆదేశించింది. దాంతో.. వారం రోజుల్లోగా కౌంటర్ దాఖలు చేస్తాం అంటూ.. ప్రభుత్వ న్యాయవాది ముకుల్ రోహత్గీ తెలియజేశారు. ప్రభుత్వం కౌంటర్ దాఖలు చేసిన తర్వాత.. నాలుగు వారాల్లోగా విచారణ ముగించి తుది తీర్పు ఇవ్వాలంటూ సుప్రీం కోర్టు స్పష్టమైన ఉత్తర్వులు ఇచ్చింది.
అంటే వంశీకి దక్కిన బెయిల్ సందిగ్ధంలో పడిందన్న మాట. ప్రభుత్వం కౌంటర్ దాఖలు చేసిన తర్వాత.. అక్రమ మైనింగ్ కేసులో ఆయన పాత్ర గురించి హైకోర్టు పూర్తిగా వాదనలు వినాల్సి ఉంటుంది. నాలుగువారాల్లోగా తీర్పు ఇవ్వాల్సి ఉన్నందున అప్పటిదాకా వంశీకి దిగుల్లేదు. అంటే మరో అయిదు వారాల్లోగా వంశీ గత ప్రభుత్వ హయాంలో పాల్పడిన అనేకానేక దురాగతాల్లో ఒకటైన అక్రమమైనింగ్ వ్యవహారంలో ప్రభుత్వ వాదనలోనే నిజమున్నదని కోర్టు నమ్మితే గనుక.. ఆ కేసులో ఆల్రెడీ ఆయనకు దక్కిన ముందస్తు బెయిల్ రద్దవుతుంది. మిగిలిన కేసుల్లో రకరకాల బెయిళ్లు వచ్చినప్పటికీ.. అయిదు వారాల తర్వాత.. వంశీ మళ్లీ జైలుకు వెళ్లవలసిన పరిస్థితి తప్పకపోవచ్చునని పలువురు అంచనా వేస్తున్నారు.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has requested financial assistance to Andhra Pradesh to release the second tranche of funds as a grant for Amaravati. He has requested that the revenue deficit be met. He met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Wednesday.
On this occasion, CM Chandrababu has requested that an additional Rs. 10,000 crore be allocated under SASKI for the year 2025-26. He has requested that the request already given by the state government seeking to meet the revenue deficit for the 16th Finance Commission be accepted. He thanked the Center for its cooperation in the construction of the capital Amaravati and the Polavaram project.
CM Chandrababu was accompanied by Union Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, State Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav and TDP MPs. He has appealed to the Central Government to provide support for the establishment of a badminton training center with international standards in Amaravati. He met Union Minister for Youth Services and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya and discussed the projects to be undertaken for the development of sports in the state and the creation of infrastructure.
He explained that there are wide opportunities to set up water sports training centers on the banks of the Krishna. He reminded the Union Minister that the State Government has already sent various proposals to the Ministry on various infrastructure and development projects related to sports. He said that it has been proposed to set up National Centers of Excellence in Nagarjuna University and Kakinada.
Chandrababu said that infrastructure projects under Khelo India should be completed in Tirupati, Rajahmundry, Kakinada and Narasaraopet. He urged Rs. 27 crore be sanctioned for the establishment of a multi-sports complex at the Guntur VR Stadium, and Rs. 341 crore for the development of sports in various parts of the state. He said that additional Khelo India centers should be sanctioned to identify talented athletes in the districts.
He requested that the establishment of a Sports Authority of India training center in Tirupati in Rayalaseema be considered. The Chief Minister thanked Union Minister Mandaviya for giving the opportunity to organize the Khelo India Martial Arts Games 2025 in AP. He requested that Rs. 25 crore be released for the organization of these games. TDP and Jana Sena MPs were present in the meeting along with Chandrababu.
గులాబీ దళపతి కల్వకుంట్ల చంద్రశేఖర రావు కూతురు కవిత ఇప్పుడు తన సొంత రాజకీయ అస్తిత్వం కోసం ప్రయత్నిస్తున్నారు. కేసీఆర్ కూతురు కావడం వల్ల మాత్రమే వచ్చిన రాజకీయ అస్తిత్వాన్ని వదులుకుని తన ముద్రను సొంతంగా సృష్టించుకోవాలని అనుకుంటున్నారు. ఈ ప్రయత్నంలో ఆమె గులాబీ కండువాకు ఎప్పుడో గుడ్ బై కొట్టేశారు. పబ్లిక్ లో ఏవైనా కార్యక్రమాల్లో పాల్గొంటే కూడా.. కేవలం తెలంగాణ జాగృతి కండువాలను ధరిస్తున్నారే తప్ప.. ఆ కండువాల్లో కనీసం గులాబీ రంగు కూడా లేకుండా జాగ్రత్తలు తీసుకుంటున్నారు. అయితే కల్వకుంట్ల కవిత సొంత రాజకీయ పార్టీ పెట్టే ఆలోచనతో ఉన్నారని ఆ నడుమ కొన్ని పుకార్లు ముమ్మరంగా వినిపించాయి. ప్రస్తుతానికి అలాంటి ఆలోచన లేదని.. ఆమె కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీవైపే నెమ్మదిగా అడుగులు వేస్తున్నారని.. అయితే ‘తాను కాంగ్రెస్ వైపు మొగ్గడం తెలంగాణ జాతి అవసరం’ అని బిల్డప్పులు ఇవ్వడానికి వీలుగా రంగం సిద్ధం చేసుకుంటున్నారని పలువురు విశ్లేషిస్తున్నారు. తాజా పరిణామాలు అలాంటి సంకేతాలనే ఇస్తున్నాయి.
రెడ్డి నేతలను అడ్డగోలుగా తిట్టడం కారణంగా.. కాంగ్రెస్ నుంచి బహిష్కృతుడైన ఎమ్మెల్సీ తీన్మార్ మల్లన్న, మరో భారాస తరఫున ఎమ్మెల్సీ అయినప్పటికీ.. ప్రస్తుతం ఆ పార్టీకి దూరంగా ఉంటున్న కల్వకుంట్ల కవిత పై వివాదాస్పద విమర్శలు చేసిన సంగతి తెలిసిందే. ఆమెను ఆయన ఎంత తిట్టినప్పటికీ.. భారాస నుంచి కనీసం ఒక్కరు కూడా స్పందించలేదు. అంటే కవితను ఆ పార్టీ అప్రకటిత బహిష్కరణ విధించినట్టే అందరికీ అర్థమవుతోంది. కవిత కూడా తన తండ్రి పార్టీకి ఒక స్పష్టమైన సంకేతం ఇవ్వదలచుకున్నారు. భారాస లేకపోయినంత మాత్రాన తనకు దిగుల్లేదని.. తనకు రాజకీయ ప్రత్యామ్నాయం ఉన్నదని ఆమె చెప్పదలచుకున్నట్టు కనిపిస్తోంది. అలా ఆమె కాంగ్రెస్ నిర్ణయాన్ని కీర్తిస్తున్నారు. కేవలం కీర్తించడమే కాదు.. ఏ నిర్ణయాన్నైతే విమర్శించడం ద్వారా భారాస రాజకీయ లబ్ధి కోరుకుంటున్నదో.. దానిని కీర్తిస్తున్నారు. పైగా భారాస వాదనే తప్పు అని నిందిస్తున్నారు.
బీసీ రిజర్వేషన్ బిల్లు విషయంలో రేవంత్ సర్కారు తీసుకువచ్చిన ఆర్డినెన్స్ సరైనదేనని కవిత వ్యాఖ్యానించడం ఇక్కడ గమనార్హం. చూడబోతే.. సొంత పార్టీ ఆలోచనను ఆమె మానుకున్నట్టుగా కనిపిస్తోంది. పుష్కలంగా ధన వనరులు ఉన్నప్పటికీ కూడా.. తెలంగాణలో సొంత రాజకీయ పార్టీ స్థాపించిన వైఎస్ షర్మిలకు ఎదురైన అనుభవాలనుంచి కవిత పాఠం నేర్చుకున్నట్టుగా ఉంది. షర్మిల కోట్లాది నిధులు ఖర్చు పెట్టినప్పటికీ.. తెలంగాణలో సుదీర్ఘ పాదయాత్ర సాగించినప్పటికీ.. కనీసం ఎన్నికల్లో పోటీచేయడానికి చాలినంత ధైర్యం కూడా చిక్కబట్టుకోలేని పార్టీగా తన తండ్రి పేరిట పెట్టిన పార్టీని కాంగ్రెసులో కలిపేశారు. తనకు కూడా అలాంటి పరిస్తితి తప్పదేమోనని, డబ్బు దండగ చేసుకునే బదులు ముందే కాంగ్రెస్ కు జై కొడితే సరిపోతుందని కవిత నిర్ణయించుకున్నట్టుగా తెలుస్తోంది. కేసీఆర్, కేటీఆర్ ల మీద వారి కుటుంబసభ్యురాలినే బ్రహ్మాస్త్రంగా ఎక్కుపెట్టే అవకాశం ఉంటుంది గనుక.. కాంగ్రెస్ ఆమెను ఆదరించడానికి సుముఖంగానే ఉంటుందని కూడా విశ్లేషణలు సాగుతున్నాయి.
The AP government, which has decided to undertake the second phase of land acquisition for the establishment of an international airport and IT companies in the capital city of Amaravati, is reportedly contemplating whether to acquire it now or wait for some time?
The decision to acquire 20,496 acres under acquisition was also discussed in the cabinet after the CRDA Authority meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu cleared it.
At the time of approval, it was not decided when to issue a notification. As a result, the pooling process has not been started. Already, Pedakurapadu MLA Bhashyam Praveen held meetings with farmers in the villages under Amaravati mandal before anyone else on the acquisition process.
At that time, there was not much awareness among the farmers, so they resorted to the name of the MLA. In the meantime, they all studied the conditions in the previous pooling area.
However, later they decided not to give the lands for pooling. This matter has come to the notice of the government and there is a lot of criticism on the issue that the plots in the area given for acquisition in the past have not been developed. In this context, despite the approval of the authority, the government is not taking any steps forward.
Meanwhile, the process of calming the opposition among the farmers has been accelerated. The number of pensions given to the landless poor has been increased. They have advertised in the villages that they are making arrangements to pay the rent (annuity) due to the farmers in one or two days. They have also taken up medical camps and other programs.
When a senior official in the Urban Development Department was contacted on this, he said that the authority has decided and the government will carry it out when it is possible. He explained that the government will implement the decision as soon as possible since no specific time limit has been fixed.
When asked about the news that the acquisition has been stopped, he said that the question of stopping it without issuing a notification does not arise. Minister Dr. P Narayana said that CM Chandrababu Naidu has formed a committee of ministers for the second phase of land pooling.
He revealed that this committee of ministers will discuss this matter. Narayana explained that there were some problems in the land acquisition undertaken between 2014-19. Chandrababu has instructed the committee of ministers to resolve them. He said that the committee of ministers will discuss it in the next two to three days and submit a report by the next AP cabinet meeting.
After one year of coming to power, the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government has dropped all further actions against retired IPS officer and former intelligence chief AB Venkateswara Rao, months after the High Court quashed an FIR and a chargesheet filed against him by the previous government.
It may be recalled that he was the victimized police officer during YS Jaganmohan Reddy regime, suspending him twice, making him wait without any post and non-payment of salaries, ignoring directions from courts also. Rao, an Additional Director General of Police officer, had been booked under charges including criminal conspiracy and cheating and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Though he was able to get a posting on the last day of his retirement, on the directions from AP High Court, it took months for the present government to come to his rescue. Moreover, he was also kept away from the corridor of power, though the previous government harassed him suspecting his proximity with Chandrababu Naidu.
Rao fought against injustice accorded by the previous government lonely approaching higher courts and with uncompromising legal battles. Rao had challenged his suspension in the High Court, the Supreme Court and the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which quashed his suspension and directed the YSRCP government to reinstate him. He was reinstated on May 31, 2024, and he retired the same day.
The YSRCP government had also filed a chargesheet against him in a local court in Vijayawada on May 18, 2024, in an alleged corruption case. However, both the FIR and the chargesheet were quashed by the High Court, said a government order issued on Tuesday.
Chief secretary K Vijayanand, in the order, said the TDP-led NDA government has reviewed the matter and come to the conclusion that it was not a fit case to file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court. “The government has therefore decided to drop further action against Rao,” said Vijayanand in the order.
The previous government had also alleged that Rao was involved in irregularities in the purchase of surveillance equipment from an Israeli firm and in the award of a contract to a firm owned by his son. This January, the TDP-led NDA government regularised Rao’s suspension and recognised it as time spent on duty. It enabled him to receive full pay for being on suspension from February 8, 2020, to February 7, 2022, and from June 28, 2022, to May 30, 2024.
A committee with experts will be formed to resolve the water disputes between the Telugu states. This decision was taken at a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the Telugu states held at the office of the Union Ministry of Water Resources on Wednesday. In this meeting, chaired by Union Minister for Water Resources CR Patil, the Chief Ministers of both the states agreed to form a committee with technical and administrative experts to resolve the existing disputes over the Krishna and Godavari waters. This committee will be formed by Monday
This meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of both the states N Chandrababu Naidu and A Revanth Reddy, along with their ministers and officials. This decision was taken in the backdrop of Telangana’s Opposition to Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, which envisages diverting 200 TMC of Godavari floodwater from Polavaram to the Banakacherla regulator in Kurnool district.
Moreover, it was also decided to set up separate offices for Krishna River Management Board at Amaravati while Godavari River Management Board will be in Hyderabad, by July 21. Speaking after the meeting in Delhi, Revanth Reddy said that the committee will submit its observations within 30 days.
“The meeting was a success and the Government of India acted as an arbitrator between the two states without taking any sides,” he said. Apart from setting up the committee, telemetric devices will be installed at different outlet points of the rivers and its canals, said Telangana Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, who was also part of the delegation.
The devices will measure “the amount of water used by Andhra Pradesh from these rivers”, he said. He further added: “The devices will be installed at war footing”.
Besides, a Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) will function out of Telangana and a Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) will function out of Andhra Pradesh. “It is based on the agreement made in the Andhra Pradesh reorganisation act that these boards will function”.
Revanth has said that the controversial Polavaram-Banakacherla project did not come up for discussion. However, the meeting comes at a time when Naidu sought the Centre’s support for the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, which he claims would help drought-proof the Rayalaseema region. He explained about the project asserting that it will not be harmful for the neighbouring state.
Meanwhile, according to AP Chief Minister’s Office, other issues agreed upon include conducting repairs at the Srisailam project. Built across the Krishna River in Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh and Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, the Srisailam dam falls under the administrative control of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). “The discussions between the two states were held in a cordial atmosphere. It was decided to resolve all issues through discussions,” they said.
