The Telangana Legislative Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution that the state government shall not handover control of projects common to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Krishna river to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) unless the conditions put forth by the state are fulfilled.
The resolution, moved by state Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, was adopted after a day-long debate that saw a war of words between the ruling Congress and main opposition BRS. “In view of the historical injustice and the current situation, the House hereby resolves that the government of Telangana shall not handover control of common projects to KRMB unless the conditions put forth by the state have been fulfilled which are as follows – water sharing between AP and Telangana shall be on the basis of catchment area, drought prone area, basin population and cultivable area,” the irrigation minister said, reading out the operative portion of the resolution which goes on to mention the “conditions”.
The KRMB was constituted by the Centre as per the Andhra Pradesh Re-Organisation Act, 2014 for the administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of such projects, as may be notified by the Central government from time to time.
The irrigation minister also made a power-point presentation in the House on ‘projects and issues of Krishna river’ during which he alleged that Telangana suffered more damage in share of Krishna river waters after state formation (during the previous BRS regime) than it did during undivided Andhra Pradesh.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who intervened during the debate, attacked opposition leader and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for not attending the assembly when it is debating a very important issue like Krishna river waters.
This amounts to insulting ‘Telangana society’, he alleged. The chief minister said a message should have been sent out from the House that “Telangana society” is united in safeguarding the state’s interest and Telangana should get 68 per cent share in Krishna river waters as per the catchment area. But Rao was not present in the assembly at this important occasion.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the power-point presentation is being made “to clarify and to state the facts on record” as some are speaking in a way to trigger misconceptions among Telangana people, a reference to BRS alleging that the Congress government has handed over projects on Krishna river to the KRMB hurting the state’s interests.
The state government has already denied handing over projects to the KRMB. The irrigation minister alleged that the previous BRS government had sought only 299 TMC from the Centre though the state had the opportunity to seek 731 TMC, including for ‘contemplated projects’.
He claimed that the “injustice and corruption” that happened in the irrigation sector during the last 10 years would not have happened “in any state in the country in Independent India”. Further attacking the BRS regime, he said a letter written by the principal secretary to then CM KCR to the Centre mentioned that Telangana and Andhra Pradesh “have agreed in principle to handover the control of common projects”.
“Very clearly, your government clearly said that you wanted to handover the projects,” he said. He also showed a video of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in which the latter is seen saying that KCR showed magnanimity in releasing water from Telangana to AP.
The irrigation minister asserted that his government “is not ready to hand over Telangana projects” and said the BRS should seek an apology for doing injustice in Krishna river waters.
BRS MLA and former minister T Harish Rao said the Congress government moving a resolution against handing over projects to KRMB is “a victory of Telangana people and BRS”.
The government is “amending its mistakes” a day ahead, as the BRS convened a public meeting at Nalgonda on Tuesday, he said.
The government placed a book named as ‘facts on Krishna river projects’ but the appropriate name would have been ‘untruths’, Rao said.
The book stated that the BRS government had agreed in 2020 to handover the projects, he said.
Quoting the minutes of a meeting held then, he said the then CM KCR stated that the question of notification of jurisdiction of boards should not arise until and unless water sharing is finalised by the concerned tribunal.
Rao said his party supports the resolution on not handing over the projects to KRMB but has objections to other points. He elaborately countered the allegations against the previous BRS regime.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, D Sridhar Babu, Jupally Krishna Rao, BJP member A Maheshwar Reddy, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, CPI member K Sambasiva Rao spoke during the debate.
The irrigation minister also invited the members to visit the Kaleshwaram project being organised by the government on Tuesday.
