Andhra Pradesh to seek modifications in central gazette on projects
AP water resources authorities, however, want GRMB and KRMB to take control of only the major projects
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government will write to union ministry of Jal Sakthi seeking modifications in centre’s gazette notification in a manner that subsidiary components of major irrigation projects in the state remain under the control of AP.
The gazette notification had mentioned that administration, maintenance, and operation of 71 irrigation projects under Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) and 36 projects under Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) will be wholly under the control of these two boards effective from October 14.
AP water resources authorities, however, want GRMB and KRMB to take control of only the major projects, while leaving the subsidiary components under the control of respective state governments. They also want the boards to keep a tab on utilisation of allotted share of water at the main projects to check any deviations in drawing of water. Further, authorities are seeking liberty for respective states to utilise water at subsidiary components on need basis.
For instance, Srisailam project has 19 subsidiary components falling under territorial limits of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which have been categorised as major, completed or ongoing, approved or unapproved and operational or non-operational.
A section of AP water resources authorities want the KRMB to take control of Srisailam project head works, while leaving subsidiary components under the control of both AP and TS, so that the two states can utilise their allotted share of water as per their respective requirements.
As the AP government has constituted irrigation circles for projects depending on category of the project – major, medium or minor – with hierarchical structure like engineer-in-chief, chief engineer, superintending engineer, executive engineer, deputy executive engineer, junior engineer and so on, employees have raised apprehensions about their fate if boards merge the irrigation circles. For example, in Kurnool district alone, Srisailam project has five irrigation circles at present. Once KRMB takes it over and merges circles, it may not require the entire manpower existing at present. The fate of officials working in these circles will then hang in balance, as they may have to be relocated elsewhere.
Meanwhile, both GRMB and KRMB have sought information pertaining to sanctioned strength and present strength of manpower at the projects. A segment of AP water resources officials want KRMB to take control of only main projects falling in the territorial jurisdiction of both AP and TS, like Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar. The board must ensure control over personnel of both states in a manner avoiding conflict of interest within employees of the two states.
Water resources engineer-in-chief C. Narayana Reddy said, “We are holding a series of deliberations on several issues, including control on subsidiary projects. We will then brief the state government which, in turn, will write a letter to the centre seeking modifications on certain matters in the gazette notification.”