Vijayawada, July 13: Several leaders of the Coastal Andhra Pradesh including Congress, Telugu Desam and Praja Rajyam Party here today expressed concern over ”imminent conflict” on water for irrigation, if separate Telangana state is carved out from the present Andhra Pradesh.
After expressing his apprehensions to the Sri Krishna Committee, constituted to examine the demand of separate Telangana state, Machhlipatnam Lok Sabha member and Telugu Desam Deputy Leader of Parliamentary Party K Narayana said that he had expressed his fears and apprehension over the ”imminent conflict” for irrigation water, if separate Telangana is created.
”Karnataka constructed a mega project the ”Almitty” across the river Krishna which deprived of our legitimate share of Krishna waters. Maharashtra constructed the ‘Babli” Project across the Godavari depriving our share in Godavari waters.
If separate Telangana state is carved out, the coastal Andhra Pradesh will become a ”desert” as we solely depend on Krishna waters for irrigation,” he cautioned while expressing his views to the Committee.
Telugu Desam Party senior leader T Premnath while expressing his views before the Sri Krishna Committee said that the Krishna Deltas main crop is paddy. The farmers is cultivating paddy crop in lakhs acres in the Delta relying on the Krishna waters. ”If separate T-state is formed, it is certain that we will not get Krishna water as the Telangana rulers will object for it. The entire coastal Andhra Pradesh will Plunge in poverty,” he feared.
The TDP Leader said the coastal Andhra land lords had invested twenty five per cent of their earning in Hyderabad city. If state is bifurcated, they would be outsiders in their own land, he feared and vowed to fight against bifurcation of T-state.
——–Agencies