Jan 17, 2021, 17:31 IST
NEW DELHI: Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has asked the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to submit detailed project reports (DPRs) of their States’ new irrigation projects, and get them appraised at the earliest.
Any project, whether mentioned or not in the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-1 and/or AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, unless techno-economically appraised by the CWC and accepted by the Advisory Committee of Department of Water Resources (DoWR), should be considered as a new project for the purpose of appraisal, irrespective of whether it was conceived before or after bifurcation of erstwhile AP,” the letter read.
Minister asks Telangana to withdraw its petition in SC first
Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has stated that the Centre would consider referring the matter for re-allocation of Krishna waters between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh either to a new tribunal or to the existing Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar after withdrawal of the petition in the Supreme Court by Telangana.
In a detailed letter written to Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on December 12, Mr. Shekhawat said the MoJS would consider the matter of referring the issue under Section 3 of the Inter State River Waters Disputes Act only after withdrawal of petition by Telangana and after obtaining legal opinion. He mentioned that he had already written to AP asking it not to go ahead with Pothireddypadu Head Regulator expansion and Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme until their detailed project reports are appraised by the Krishna River Management Board and C