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.
