Telangana calls Andhra Pradesh minister's bluff, produces proof

Hyderabad: Within hours after AP irrigation minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao challenged his TS counterpart to produce evidence, TS irrigation officials released the relevant correspondence that took place between the Adoni revenue divisional officer and the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme officials.

Earlier in the day, Mr Uma Maheswara Rao told newsmen in Eluru that no such letter was written and dared the TS irrigation minister to produce it, if it was available with him.He said that the issue of RDS was between AP, TS and Karnataka states and opined that if ministers from only AP and  TS discussed it, a resolution may not be found.

SMS communication between the Kurnool collector and RDS EE. DC also has copies of the letters between the two officials in its possession.

As per the letters and SMS, the Adoni RDO asks the RDS officials to stop the works. Ch. Obulesu, RDO of Adoni in Kurnool district along with K. Srinivasa Rao, the Sub-Divisional police officer, had on May 16 written to the RDS executive engineer of Karnataka, asking him to stop the ongoing improvement works at RDS immediately.

The letter says: “Farmers and the general public of AP are very much alarmed and opposing the ongoing works by the Karnataka officials. We are anticipating large-scale agitations from the AP side, which may lead to severe law and order problems at RDS site.

Further, the AP government is also concerned about the ongoing works taken up without its knowledge. In view of the above, we request you to stop ongoing works at RDS immediately”.  

Responding to this, executive engineer at RDS, Sri Prakash, sent an SMS informing about the works being taken up at RDS to the Kurnool collector who in turn messaged him, saying, “Do not start works without the government of AP directions as there is an agitating mood among farmers in that area. They will seriously object it and will result in a law and order problem”.

The EE’s response was: “Once it is cleared from your side and only after bringing it to your notice we will start”. Meanwhile, TS irrigation principal secretary S.K. Joshi has written to the member-secretary, Krishna River Management Board, asking him to get the AP government cooperate for early completion of the RDS anicut modernisation.

Mr Joshi wrote that raising the anicut will in no way affect the interests of Kurnool farmers who are agitating against the work. He also gave a detailed report on the need to take up modernisation works and the recommendations of the expert committee constituted by government of undivided AP.