Telangana depriving Andhra Pradesh of its water share, says Jagan

VIJAYAWADA: Days after the Telangana Chief Minister called for a 50:50 ratio in sharing of Krishna water, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has shot off another letter, the second in a week’s span, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi complaining about the illegal and indiscriminate drawl of water by the neighbouring State for power generation in violation of water-sharing agreements. Explaining how the whimsical acts of Telangana were resulting in the wastage of precious water and depriving AP of its rightful share, Jagan has once again urged Modi to notify the jurisdiction of Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and take over the operation of all common reservoirs.

While informing the PM that no effective steps were taken despite repeated complaints to the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) and the KRMB about the unauthorised projects taken up by Telangana on Krishna, Jagan felt that the KRMB was not effective in discharging its duties. The letter, addressed to the PM on Wednesday, comes in the wake of a raging water dispute as the Telangana government continues to use Krishna water from common projects for hydel power generation, which AP has repeatedly opposed claiming that it was resulting in letting surplus water at Prakasam Barrage waste into the sea.

“The intention of Telangana government is to deprive AP its due share of allocated water as the drawls will be delayed considerably and the water is being wasted by allowing it to surplus into the sea. As such it was already requested that the KRMB may be directed to account for all these unauthorised drawls by Telangana against the agreed allocation of 299 TMC to that State,” Jagan noted. He also appended the agreement entered into by both the States in June, 2015, on how to share Krishna water, and said that the neighbouring State was violating all norms of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, putting AP in distress.

MP Singh takes charge as KRMB chairman

MP Singh took charge as KRMB chairman on Wednesday, and held a preliminary meeting with thestaff. He assumed office at a time the sibling States are at loggerheads over sharing of Krishna waters