The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP to fight for cause of delta farmers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP to fight for cause of delta farmers

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, OCT. 10. Accusing the State Government of clandestinely issuing G.O. 107 to maintain the Minimum Draw Down Level (MDDL) of the Srisailam project at 854 feet instead of 834 feet, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has threatened to launch a stir seeking withdrawal of the GO to protect the interests of farmers of Krishna delta farmers.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday after a visual presentation on illegal drawal of Krishna water to Cuddapah district, the former Ministers --Kodela Siva Prasad Rao, Tummala Nageswara Rao - the Kankipadu MLA, Devineni Uma Maheswar Rao, and former the MP, Gutta Sukhender Reddy, accused the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, of issuing the G.O. basing on the recommendations of an all-party meeting held last month.

Five districts affected

The TDP had opposed any move to increase the MDDL, which would have affected the interests of farmers in Nalgonda, Khammam, Guntur, Prakasam and parts of West Godavari districts. Alleging that the G.O. facilitated illegal diversion of Krishna water from Srisailam to Telugu Ganga, which benefits ryots of Cuddapah district, the TDP leaders wondered what would be the fate of 34-lakh acres under the Nagarjunasagar ayacut and the Krishna delta in wake of this development.

Bachawat award

They charged that the Government with not honouring the Bachawat award. Farmers of the five districts had riparian right on Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam waters, they said claiming that only surplus water should have been diverted to the Telugu Ganga project by filling up balancing reservoirs in Kurnool district and supply drinking water to Chennai city.

They said the decision to increase the MDDL had come as a boon for ryots of Cuddapah district. Explaining the illegal drawal of water, the leaders said an escape channel was constructed at the Janamcharla cross regulator used to supply water to Telugu Ganga. Krishna water was let into the channel to reach Nippulavagu from where it joined Kundu and then to Cuddapah district to meet the irrigation needs of local ryots. They said this attempt had dashed the hopes of the Nagarjunasagar ayacut and the Krishna delta farmers.

The TDP leaders sought the support of the farmers of five districts and the leaders of political parties to force the Government withdraw its decision.

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