The Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) has reiterated that any irrigation or multi-purpose project, whether mentioned or not in the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-I report or Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, in the two Telugu States would be considered as new project “unless techno-economically appraised by the Central Water Commission and accepted by Advisory Committee of the Department of Water Resources”.
In a four-page reply addressed on December 12 to Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, in response to a letter written to him on October 2, four days before holding the second meeting of Apex Council on October 6, Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhat gave point-wise view of the Ministry to all the six key issues raised by Mr. Rao. “Such projects are considered as new for the purpose of appraisal, irrespective of the fact whether it was conceived before or after bifurcation of erstwhile AP,” he explained.
Further, the projects which have been appraised by the CWC and accepted by the Advisory Committee of the DoWR would also be considered as new projects for the purpose of appraisal in case there is change in their scope. Stating that the issue was discussed in the October 6 Apex Council meeting, Mr. Shekhawat mentioned that along with AP Chief Minister Mr. Rao too had agreed to submit the detailed project reports (DPRs) of all new projects in their States to the respective river boards — KRMB and GRMB — immediately for appraisal and subsequent sanction by the Apex Council.
On the issue of inaction of KRMB raised by the Telangana Chief Minister, the Union Minister said monitoring of water drawals from Srisailsam reservoir, a joint storage facility for the two States, including power generation by the two States, would be done by the river board as mandated by the AP Reorganisation Act, once the operating manuals and jurisdiction of the two river boards is notified by the MoJS.
Faulting the two States for not releasing funds need for the installation of telemetry systems, Mr. Shekhawat said both the State had agreed in the first meeting of the Apex Council held in September 2016 to meet the cost of telemetry installation but had not paid their full share of expenditure. As a result, installation of the telemetry systems was done completely and it would be completed once the two States clear their pending payments. Installation of the telemetry systems would also help the river board, particularly KRMB, monitor the water drawals by the two States to all irrigation and drinking water systems based on the two joint water storage facilities — Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar.
