Hyderabad: Alleging that his state is not getting its legal share of river water, which is mostly used by upper riparian states like Maharashtra and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today said his government will fight by all means to protect its rights.
“… In the coming days Karnataka and Maharashtra, it appears, are going to trouble. Now, the third state of Telangana is there above us. Water comes to us after crossing these three states.
“We have to protect Krishna river water. We have to fight by all means. Karnataka government is now trying to raise the height of the Almatti (dam) project. Earlier, I, as the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, had exerted pressure on the Centre and prevented its height from being raised when Deve Gowda, who belongs to Karnataka, was Prime Minister,” Naidu said.
“Because of (previous Congress-led Andhra Pradesh) government’s improper attitude, it could not be protected and they are using all the water. We are not getting our legal share. We will have an uncompromising fight on this,” Naidu said while speaking in Kurnool district after laying the foundation stone of a food park.
Noting that Kurnool is among the districts which have received grossly deficient rainfall, he said that the government is taking temporary and long-term measures to address the issue.
The Pattiseema lift irrigation project on Godavari river, dedicated to the people on August 15, is aimed at linking Krishna and Godavari rivers to provide water to perennially the drought-hit Rayalaseema region, he said.