Hyderabad, April 09: Even as the main opposition Telugu Desam Party geared up for a ”Mahadharna” in Vijayawada tomorrow TO protest against the Congress Government’s alleged failure to protect the state’s interest on riparian row with upper riparian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh Major Irrigation Minister P Lakshmaiah today charged the TDP with acting against the State’s interests for ”narrow political gains”.
Talking to reporters here, he said when the State was pressing before the Krishna Waters Tribunal for restricting Karnataka the storage at the Almatti reservoir at 516.6 ft, the TDP was insisting on 519 ft, which was not in the interest of the ryots.
It was the TDP, when it was part of the United Front Government had allegedly bartered away the state’s interests by succumbing to political pressure from then Prime Minister H D Deve Gowday and allowed to increase the Almatti reservoir’s height.
In Vijayawada, TDP leaders were making all needed preparations for the Maha Dharna to be addressed by party president N.
Chandrababu Naidu to press for State’s ”due share” in Krishna waters.
The Tribunal was expected to come out with its report in September.
Meanwhile, Farmers Federation of Andhra Pradesh leader A Bhavani Prasad talking to mediapersons opined that farmers in the Krishna delta region were suffering because of the alleged failure of the political parties in the state to persuade Karnataka to restrict the storage upto 512 ft only at Almatti as recommended by the Central Water Commission.
———Agencies