Water wars: Telangana terms Andhra Pradesh’s canal works ‘illegal’ 

HYDERABAD: The ongoing 160-km canal works taken up by the Andhra Pradesh (AP) government to divert five tmcft water from Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) has kicked up a fresh row between the sibling States. Quoting the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal award, the AP government started proceedings with works on the right side of the RDS. The works involve digging a canal to divert Tungabhadra river waters to irrigate around five lakh acres in Yemmiganur and Mantralayam Assembly segments in AP.

The canal under construction would be aligned with Gajuladinne Project, on which AP is spending around Rs 2,000 crore. However, Telangana’s Irrigation Department officials contended that since the Tribunal award has not come into operation and the case is still pending in the Supreme Court, the canal works are “illegal.”

“AP cannot go ahead with its works, as the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal order has not yet been operationalised,” an official from the Telangana Irrigation Department told Express. After farmers from Telangana raised a hue and cry over AP going ahead with the works on Wednesday, Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud demanded that the Central government and the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) should prevent AP from executing the works.

Goud recalled that AP’s canal works were neither approved by the Central Water Commission (CWC) nor Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). He said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would take appropriate measures regarding the issue and protect the interests of the farmers. The Minister pointed out that there was no agreement among AP, Telangana and Karnataka on the canal works and said Telangana would fight for its just share of the Tungabhadra river waters.