Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy have come to a basic understanding on the proposal to link Godavari with Krishna by diverting water with least possible land acquisition and other losses.

The two Chief Ministers, who met here on Monday evening, discussed in detail about the alignment of the linking, the possible and feasible locations from where Godavari could be diverted to Srisailam Reservoir to provide irrigation facility to the water starved areas in Rayalaseema, South Coastal Andhra and South Telangana. As part of the discussion they also examined the reports submitted by the engineers of the two States with their proposals on diversion of Godavari water to Krishna and other basins.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy arrived in at Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence-cum-camp office of the Telangana Chief Minister, at around 5.30 p.m. accompanied by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy, Rajampet MP P.V. Mithun Reddy and others to discuss the proposal of Godavari water diversion to Krishna and also outstanding issues pertaining to bifurcation of combined AP.

Third meeting

It was the third meeting between the two Chief Ministers to discuss the outstanding issues as well as the proposal to divert Godavari water to Krishna. Earlier, they met here on June 28 and on August 1. The TTD Chairman invited Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao to attend the Brahmotsavams of the temple of Lord Venkateswara on Tirumala this year and extended him a formal invitation.

According to officials, the two Chief Ministers were said to have discussed on division of assets and employees, particularly those in power utilities. The division of assets of institutions listed in the Schedules IX and X of the AP Reorganisation Act also came up for discussion. Further, they were said to have talked about the economic slow down and its impact on devolution of funds from the Centre and also on the two States.

Wasted water

On the diversion of Godavari water, the two Chief Minister felt that huge quantity of water flowing waste into the sea every year should benefit the water-starved areas of the two Telugu States with minimum losses. This water year, from June 1, about 3,030 tmc ft Godavari water has gone down into the sea. As there have been good rains in the catchment areas of Krishna, about 450 tmc ft water has also gone down into the sea from Krishna so far.

Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao requested his AP counterpart to provide training to about 4,000 police recruits as Telangana was recruiting 18,000 police personnel soon and training facilities available in Telangana could handle only 14,000 of them. By giving training to all the new recruits in one go, they could be posted for regular duties at once.