Telangana mulls legal recourse to get Centre’s move on irrigation projects' jurdisdiction reversed

HYDERABAD: Incensed by the Union Jal Shakti Ministry’s sudden publication of a Gazette notification, which brings all the irrigation projects in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana under the control of the river management boards, the State government is contemplating a legal recourse to get the Centre’s decision reversed.

Though there has been no immediate official reaction from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on the Gazette notification, he had a lengthy discussion on the matter with MPs, officials and legal experts. According to sources, Telangana Advocate General explained the contents and the legal aspects of the notification to the Chief Minister at Pragathi Bhavan on Friday. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and Irrigation Department officials were also present at the meeting.

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“The Chief Minister has decided to conduct a detailed meeting with the Irrigation Department officials either on Saturday or Sunday. The strategy of the government will be finalised then,” a TRS MP told Express. Sources hinted that the government would most likely file a case in the Supreme Court against the Gazette notification. 

CM addresses TRSPP meet
The Chief Minister also addressed the TRS Parliamentary Party (TRSPP) meeting at Pragathi Bhavan on Friday, wherein he discussed the Gazette notification with the MPs and officials. Later, the CMO issued an official release on the meeting, but it had no mention of the Jal Shakti Ministry’s notification.

According to the release, the CM asked the MPs to put up a good fight against the Centre to claim the State’s rightful share in Krishna river waters. He asked them to raise the matter in both Houses of Parliament. “Injustice shall not be meted out to Telangana in river water sharing,” Rao told the MPs. 
He also directed them to meet the Union Ministers concerned and submit memorandums to them on the State’s concerns, during the Parliament session. 

KCR ASKS MPS TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL
During the TRS Parliamentary Party meeting, CM KCR asked the MPs to put up a good fight against the Centre to claim the State’s rightful share in Krishna river waters