Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao felt that Andhra Pradesh was intentionally creating disputes on river water sharing. KCR convened a high-level meeting with the Water Resources department officials on Thursday at Pragathi Bhavan to discuss on the strategy to be adapted at the Apex Council meeting to be held on October 6.
The Apex Council meeting to be chaired by Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the meeting will be attended by KCR and his counterpart AP chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
On Wednesday, the chief minister was instructing the officials concerned to come with complete data and information on the Telangana State Water Resources Department and issues to be placed before the Central government.
He said “we have to give a befitting reply to the AP State’s arguments at the Apex Council meeting. Give absolute clarity on issues so that the AP government will not raise the issues again in future.” He decided to take the opportunity to expose the seven years delay caused by the Centre and its inactive role on the matter and also oppose and reject the attempts made to undermine the rights of Telangana people.
Sources in the state government disclosed that KCR is firm to utilise the Apex Council meeting to tell the whole country about the facts.
The chief minister who has been finding fault with the Centre for its alleged delay in allocation of water share to the states, reminded that the States Bifurcation Acts, mandates allocation of water share whenever a new State is formed.
He also reminded that “the Telangana state was formed on June 2, 2014 and we wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on June 14, 2014. In the letter, we have requested for the allocation of water to Telangana.”
He further reminded that “we also stated that water could be allocated by constituting a Special tribunal under section (3) of the Inter State River Water Disputes Act 1956 or through the existing Tribunal.
We also wanted the allocation of water should be done between Telangana and AP or among the river basin states.” He pointed out that even after seven years, there was no response for the letter written to the PM and the Centre kept mum on the issue.
He charged the Centre stating that moreover, they are giving a picture that they were doing something by convening Apex Council meetings. Stating that but in reality, the Centre is not doing anything, KCR told the officials that “in the Oct 6 Apex Council meeting take the Centre to task. Be firm in demanding that there should be absolute clarity on the allocation of water to Telangana.”
KCR wanted the officials to prepare all arguments in support of the just demands of Telangana on the matter.
