AP, TG yet to submit agendas for sharing of river waters
In Jan 30 meet, CWC set 10-day deadline for submission
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments have not yet submitted their agendas to be discussed in the next meetings on Krishna and Godavari rivers water management. On January 30, the first meeting of the official committee conducted by Central Water Commission (CWC) with the representatives of the two states in Delhi, decided that the two states should submit their respective agendas within 10 days.
Top officials told The Hans India that the officials of the irrigation departments of both the states were still on the job of finalizing the agendas due to various reasons.
“Some of the water dispute issues were sub judice as the cases are still pending at various levels in the courts. Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT-2) is holding arguments on sharing river Krishna water between the two Telugu states.
The issues which are being included in the agenda should not invite legal issues further and the two state governments are preparing the agenda in this direction only,” the officials averred.
Exploitation of river waters by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and the installation of telemetry systems at the identified locations are important issues to be sorted out in the next meeting, the officials further said.
Apart from that, the Telangana government has been demanding the CWC to insist on the AP to withdraw the proposal of the construction of Polavaram- Nallamala Sagar project which is detrimental to the interests of Telangana.
A meeting will be held by Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy to finalize the agenda soon, officials said, adding that the CWC also instructed the two states to exchange the agenda copies and discuss the issues before the next meeting. The issues raised by the two states on the agendas will be deliberated in the meeting. Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and CWC would also review the agendas of the two states before the start of the meetings on the water management issues between Andhra and Telangana from April.
