Jal Shakti Ministry asks Andhra not to proceed with Ralyalaseema Lift Scheme, Apex Council meeting to be held after Aug 20

The Jal Shakti Ministry has asked Andhra Pradesh government not to go ahead with Ralyalaseema Lift Scheme and other related works on the Krishna river including calling and awarding of tenders without submitting detailed project reports (DPRs) to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and also without obtaining the sanction of the Apex Council.

The Jal Shakti Ministry has asked Andhra Pradesh government not to go ahead with Ralyalaseema Lift Scheme and other related works on the Krishna river including calling and awarding of tenders without submitting detailed project reports (DPRs) to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and also without obtaining the sanction of the Apex Council. In a letter to Andhra and Telangana Chief Ministers, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has referred to the objection raised by Telangana government in May over Andhra's move to utilize 6-8 TMC water per day from the Srisailam reservoir on Krishna river, which the Ministry said was not sanctioned by the Apex Council.

KRMB, through a letter of May 20, had directed Andhra government to stop the projects till it gets appraised by it and the "sanction of Apex Council is obtained." The matter was also discussed in KRMB's 12th meeting held in early June in which the Andhra government had been directed to submit DPRs of the new projects within a week and which have not been subsequently submitted.

"It was brought to my notice that GoAP has recently issued tender notice for taking up the Ralyalaseema Lift Scheme and other related works. Under the circumstances, I wish to reiterate that GoAP should not proceed with these projects, including calling and awarding of tenders as objected to by Telangana, without submitting DPRs to KRMB for appraisal and also without obtaining the sanction of Apex Council," said the letter sent by Shekhawat. The minister has also urged Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jaganmohan Reddy and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to ensure the second meeting of the Apex Council constituted under Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA), 2014 takes place this month.

Shekhawat, through the letter, also said that the meeting, which was originally scheduled to be held on August 5, will be held after August 20, and the new date would be intimated to both the chief ministers soon. He said that due to both the state governments not furnishing agendas for the Apex Council meeting, the Jal Shakti Ministry has proposed four agendas for it.

The Central Government had constituted KRMB for the administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of projects notified by it from time to time in the exercise of the powers conferred under Andhra Pradesh Re-Organization Act, 2014.

The Act also provides for forming an Apex Council for the supervision of the functioning of the Krishna River Management Board. The Council has the union water resources minister as its chairperson besides chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as members. (ANI)

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