It looks like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments are heading for a bigger confrontation over the construction of projects on Krishna river, detrimental to the interests of both the states.
A day after the Telangana government wrote a letter to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) chairman J Chandrasekhar Iyer against the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigatuin Scheme and upgradation of Pothireddypadu head regulator, the Andhra government reacted strongly to the new projects proposed by the Telangana government on Krishna river.
An irrigation department official said if the Telangana government completes the proposed lift irrigation projects, it woud draw nearly 220 tmc ft of water additionally than what it was entitled to.
It would affect nearly 40 lakh acres of ayacut under the Krishna basin in Rayalaseema, he said.
He appealed to the Centre to interfere in the matter and stop Telangana from going ahead with the new projects without any clearance from the Central Water Commission.
On Tuesday, Telangana government special chief secretary (irrigation) Dr Rajat Kumar wrote to KRMB chairman that the works on Rayalaseema lift scheme and other projects on Krishna river were going on at a brisk pace in violation of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order.
“As you are aware, the NGT had directed the AP government not to go ahead with the execution of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) without obtaining prior environmental clearance,” he said.
Rajat Kumar regretted there has been no action by the board in sending a fact-finding committee as directed by NGT.
