Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh K Chandrasekhar Rao and Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy respectively have agreed to amicably resolve the water sharing dispute between the states, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Tuesday.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has agreed to withdraw the case filed in the Supreme Court by the Telangana government against the Andhra Pradesh government with regard to the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme.
After more than two-hour meeting with both the CMs via video-conference, Shekhawat stated that the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments have agreed to submit detailed project reports (DPRs) of new projects taken up by the respective states before the Apex Council.
“Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his AP counterpart have agreed to submit DPRs of new projects for appraisal by the GRMB and Central Water Commission, and for sanction of apex council as stipulated in the AP Reorganisation Act,” Shekhawat who is also the chairman of Apex Council said. Further, Shekhawat said the Apex Council will take a decision after thoroughly evaluating the DPRs submitted by both the governments.
Earlier, the two states had refused to submit DPRs of new projects on Krishna River to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Central Water Commission (CWC).
Addressing the media after the video-conference, Shekhawat stated that both the CMs agreed for shifting of Krishna River Management Board. The Jal Shakti minister said there was a detailed discussion on the water sharing dispute between the two states with regard to the utilization of water from Godavari, shifting of KRMB, water share and allocation by the respective water boards.
Most importantly,
The Andhra Pradesh government had proposed construction of Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) on the river through a government order, while the Telangana government challenged the move in the Supreme Court opposing the construction of the project. Through Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme, the AP government plans to draw 3 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) Krishna water every day from Pothireddypadu Head Regulatory Scheme from Srisailam reservoir. The Telangana government has opposed the move stating that the project is in contravention of Section 84 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The Andhra Pradesh government has opposed Telangana government’s move to construct four projects on Krishna: Palamuru-RangaReddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, Dindi Lift Irrigation scheme, Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation scheme Phase II and water grid project.
