AP, TS escalate row over RLIS, hydel generation

Two States write letters to Centre; Telangana files contempt plea in NGT

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have intensified the dispute of sharing of Krishna water particularly in the wake of works on Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) taken up by AP and power generation at three inter-State projects by Telangana by shooting letters to Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Environment and Forests and filing contempt plea in National Green Tribunal (NGT). The hectic day of activity over the water row began with AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy addressing separate letters to Union Ministers of Jal Shakti and Environment & Forests. It followed Telangana filing a contempt petition in the matter of RLIS works in NGT Southern Zone Bench at Chennai and writing letters to the Member-Secretary of Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of MoEF and Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). In his letter to MoJS Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy sought notifying the jurisdiction of KRMB covering all off-takes of irrigation and power on common reservoirs to stop indiscriminate drawal of water solely for power generation by Telangana and direct the river board to visit the sites of “unauthorised” projects of the latter first, before visiting RLIS site.