Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday decided to address the contentious issue of irrigation water among both the states and have asked officials to submit a preliminary report and a plan of action by July 15.
At a meeting between the two, it was decided that water would be diverted from Godavari to Krishna basin, which is at a lower level, in order to ensure supply to the Srisailam reservoir.
Rao said both governments decided to work together on unresolved issues concerning both states as there is a 'qualitative change' in relations between them.
"There is a qualitative change in the relations between AP and Telangana. We have decided to move forward with complete awareness, with total understanding and with a firm opinion that people in both the states are ours. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments have decided to work together. Our aim is to extend maximum help to the people (of both states)," an official release quoted Rao as saying.
Reddy said both chief ministers decided to provide water to people in both states at a lower cost even as water issues for the irrigation sector should be solved with the best and simple methods.
"Availability of water is going down in Krishna river. It may further get reduced in the years to come. Hence, the governments firmly resolved to utilise water from Godavari river to mitigate water problems in Rayalaseema region in AP and Palamuru Nalgonda areas in Telangana,” he said.
At the meeting, Rao gave a power point presentation on water availability in rivers of both states and how water is not adequately available in lower riparian states due to many barrages built on tributaries of rivers in upper riparian states like Karnataka and Maharashtra, the release said. He also proposed ways and means to utilise at the optimum, water from Krishna and Godavari rivers aided by Google Maps.
"If both states think and walk together, it is enough. It is enough if both states have unanimity on utilisation of water in the two rivers for the benefit of people in both states," Rao said.
Earlier, Andhra Finance Minister B Rajendranath Reddy told reporters that various issues concerning the two states would be resolved as part of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. "Along with it, a direction on how they can together use and consume river water has been thought of," he said.
Officials have been asked to submit a preliminary report by July 15 on how waters of the Godavari and other rivers can be jointly used by the two states, he said, adding they decided to resolve issues with a 'give and take' approach and stand as a role model to the country.
"A preliminary report on how to use river waters effectively by both states will have to be submitted by the officials of both states by July 15," Reddy said.
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