AP CM bats for interlinking of rivers

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said Andhra Pradesh would be the first State in the country to implement any suggestion given by the ‘Rally for Rivers’ team led by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev for protecting rivers in the country.

Addressing the gathering at a meeting as part of Rally for Rivers here on Wednesday, he asserted that AP would set a model to other States in the country by developing greenery in the surroundings of rivers in the State. Praising the efforts of Jaggi Vasudev who had taken up rivers protection campaign, he assured that the State would not only follow the guidelines but also extend financial support if necessary.

He asked them to implement best practices by taking from other countries, Recalling the Godavari and Krishna Pushkaralu, he pointed out that the State government had introduced harathi to respect the rivers.

Stating that revival of rivers is needed to protect environment, he said that interlinking of rivers is also important in the wake of the prevailing conditions in the country. The previous NDA government led by Atal Bihar Vajpayee constituted a task force for interlinking of rivers, Naidu recalled. He claimed that Andhra Pradesh government had successfully completed the linking of Godavari and Krishna rivers which helped in protecting the interests of farmers in the entire Krishna delta.

Quoting the example as Vietnam country’s progress in agriculture, he said that now it is one of the biggest fruit producers in the world. The State government made plans to develop horticulture in one crore acres he said and added the minor irrigation is also important at the present conditions.

Explaining the efforts of the State government, he said the government had established 11,000 check dams and 6.75 lakh farm ponds. The efforts helped to improve groundwater levels in the state, he said.

Naidu assured full cooperation to the rally for rivers team in initiating measures for protection of rivers. Policy to protect rivers: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Foundation said the rivers in the country depleted abnormally during the last 25 years especially there was steep downfall in particular during the last five years.

The rivers including Krishna and Kaveri have become seasonal, he lamented. He called up on the people to protect rivers and extend good environment to the next generations.

Finding fault with the unbalanced climatic conditions in the city and as well as country, he said that human errors were reasons for the situation. He reiterated that the rivers are treasures of nation and they should be protected to help future generations.

He opined that enforceable policy is required to protect rivers. Water conservationist Dr Rajendra Singh said that the rivers should be protected naturally. He requested the people to recognise the fact that the killing of rivers means killing of human beings. Revival of rivers means giving life to humans, he said. He also opined that reviving of rivers naturally is always better.

Ministers Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao, Kamineni Srinivas, MP Kesineni Srinivas, ZP chairperson Gadde Anuradha and several officials, leaders, school children and Isha Foundation members were present.