Vidyasagar Rao, Irrigation Advisor to Telangana Government today demanded that the Centre allocate irrigation waters based on States and not on projects.
Addressing the media at the Secretariat here on Sunday, Rao criticized the Andhra Pradesh Government for violating recommendations made by Krishna Tribunal, Bachawat Award and Supreme Court. He flayed that the AP Government has already used its share and seeking TS share against norms and violation of Krishna Tribunal Award. “The Centre cannot remain a spectator due to pressure being mounted by the AP Government instead should do justice to TS”, he added.
He also took serious exception to the AP Government for raising objection to TS for planning to use its share of 80 tmc from Srisailam through Sagar for future crops. He also said the AP is demanding more waters to Krishna delta from Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam projects against the norms. An expert committee proved that 181.1 tmc including 101.2 tmc through catchment area and release 80 tmc through Sagar, while AP failed to prove their claim despite Krishna Triobunal supporting the same, he said. As per Andhra Pradesh Bifurcation Act, a total of 811 TMC is to be distributed among two States, he said. While Telangana has to get its share of 299 TMC and AP to get 512 TMC, he said. Out of 481 TMC waters from Jurala to Nagarjuna Sagar, AP is entitled to get 281 TMC and rest of 200 TMC is for TS and 100 TMC of Tungabhadra the former is to get 86 TMC and TS to get 14 TMC respectively. Though the AP has used its share is now forcing us to give more waters which is wrong he pointed out. Thus, keeping these things in view the waters should be distributed based on states and not on projects, he said. (NSS)
