Minister terms Telangana's actions against Andhra projects ‘Dharma Poratam’

HYDERABAD: Continuing their tirade against the Andhra Pradesh government for constructing “illegal” projects across the Krishna river, Telangana Ministers on Friday wanted the AP officials to build the new projects only after the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal award was operationalised.

Speaking to the media, Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud maintained that AP’s projects, including the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme, were illegal. 

​“The projects undertaken by the Telangana, on the other hand, were permitted by the erstwhile AP government. They are legal. GOs for Telangana’s projects were issued by the then Chief Ministers N Chandrababu Naidu, N Kiran Kumar Reddy and K Rosaiah,” Srinivas Goud recalled.

He said that the catchment area of the Krishna river was 68 per cent in Telangana and 32 per cent in AP. “Despite this, AP is drawing 66 per cent water, leaving only 34 per cent water for Telangana in the 811 tmcft allocated to the erstwhile AP region,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy said that Telangana’s agitation against AP’s projects and its demand for rightful share in the Krishna river was a “Dharma Poratam”.

The Minister wondered why the Congress and BJP leaders of the State, who had filed cases against the projects undertaken by the TRS government, failed to pay attention to the “illegal” projects of AP.

“In the name of providing drinking water to Chennai, AP has been drawing water for Rayalaseema and Nellore regions,” he alleged. Niranjan Reddy also demanded that the Central government allocate 530 tmcft water for Telangana.