Telangana-AP study best ways to use Godavari, Krishna

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday said that the Cabinet had unanimously resolved to maintain cordial and friendly relations with neighbouring states.

He said that in view of the change of government in Andhra Pradesh and his meetings with AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Cabinet after a lengthy discussions had decided to have friendly relation with Andhra Pradesh.

Stating that it was sweet news for people of both Telugu states, he stated that during his meeting with Mr Reddy on Monday at Vijayawada, “The young Chief Minister was very eager in providing water for irrigation to the land in the dry areas of the state.”

Keeping in view the desire of both states to provide irrigation to the maximum possible extent of land, the Cabinet has decided to make use of every drop of water available in the Krishna and Godavari rivers.

Mr Rao explained that as per the Bachawat award, 1,480 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of assured water in the Godavari river and 811 tmc ft in the Krishna river was allocated to the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. The undivided state was also authorised to use the surplus water in both rivers as it was located in the tail-end of both the rivers.

He said that every year around 4,500 tmc ft of water of both the rivers were going waste into the Bay of Bengal during the flood season as per the records of the Central Water Commission.

He said both states had agreed to constitute a joint delegation of officials to study ways and means to utilise the water in the two rivers. The first meeting of the officers will be held in Hyderabad on June 27 and next meeting in Vijayawada.

Mr Rao said that with the friendly approach with of Maharashtra and Karnataka, the Telangana state government could build the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. It had exchanged drinking water with Karnataka thrice in the last four years, he said.