Telangana urges Water Resources Ministry to postpone Apex Council meeting

The Central Water Resources Ministry has decided August 5 as the date for the Apex Council meeting to resolve water disputes between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. A high-level meeting which was held by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday decided to protect the rights of the State in the Godavari, Krishna rivers and its water allocation come what may, the release issued on Thursday night said.

Hyderabad, Jul 31 (PTI): Dubbing the exercise being undertaken by the Union Water Resources Ministry to sort out the differences between it and Andhra Pradesh as "funny," Telangana has decided to ask the Centre to postpone the Apex Council meeting scheduled on August 5, beyond August 20, an official release has said. The Central Water Resources Ministry has decided August 5 as the date for the Apex Council meeting to resolve water disputes between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

A high-level meeting which was held by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday decided to protect the rights of the State in the Godavari, Krishna rivers and its water allocation come what may, the release issued on Thursday night said. The high-level meeting took place at Pragathi Bhavan on the letter written by Central Water Resources Ministry Secretary MP Singh to the state government to express its opinion to convene the Water Resources Ministry Apex Council meeting on August 5 to resolve the water disputes between Telangana and AP.

"There was a feeling expressed in the meeting that since there are other government programmes on August 5, it may cause inconvenience. The High-level Review meeting suggested to the Chief Secretary to write a letter to the Centre to have the Apex Council meeting after August 20, after the completion of the Independence Day celebrations on Aug 15," the release said. Telangana and AP are at loggerheads over construction of some of the irrigation projects on Godavari and Krishna rivers being taken up by the respective states.

"The meeting felt that the working of the Central Water Resources Ministry in finding a solution to the water disputes between the two states is almost funny andexpressed its dissatisfaction over the matter," it said. The meeting headed by Chandrashekhar Rao unanimously decided not to lose even a single drop of water and resolved that the state government is ready to fight for its rights to any extent.

The meeting severely condemned the way the Central Water Resources ministry was turning a "deaf ear" to the Telangana government's requests. The meeting felt that the Ministry at least now should leave this "deplorable" behaviour.

Expressing anguish, the meeting felt that it was due to the "irresponsible" behaviour of the Centre that both the states are paying a heavy price. There was a unanimous decision at the meeting that all the court cases, tribunal disputes should be resolved and no good happens if there is a continuous clash on the matter.

The meeting was of the firm view that Telangana should utilise its rightful share of water in Godavari and Krishna rivers and there should not be any compromising attitude on this even as works on all projects should be done on fast track, the release added.PTI GDK SS PTI PTI.

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