The Hindu : Karnataka News : Centre's intervention sought on `illegal' projects in A.P.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 01, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Centre's intervention sought on `illegal' projects in A.P.

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, MARCH 31. The State Government today decided to take an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to urge him to intervene and stop Andhra Pradesh from proceeding with the construction of 10 "illegal" irrigation projects in the Krishna basin.

This was announced in the Legislative Assembly today by the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh.

The announcement came following persistent demands by the Opposition members belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Janata Dal (United) and the Kannada Chaluvigar.

Meeting sought

Earlier, the Opposition members demanded that the Government convene a meeting of floor leaders of various parties and also adopt a resolution seeking Central intervention to prevent Andhra Pradesh from building the "illegal" irrigation projects .

The BJP's general secretary, H.N. Ananth Kumar, drew the attention to the illegal irrigation projects taken up by Andhra Pradesh at a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday.

In the Assembly, the opposition members alleged that the Government has not made efforts to seek the Centre's intervention to stop the illegal projects taken up Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

They were in no mood to listen to the Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Mallikarjun Kharge's explanation on the steps taken by the Government to seek the intervention of the Centre and the Supreme Court.

The Government has submitted a memorandum to Mr. Manmohan Singh and the Union Minister for Water Resources, P.R. Dasmunshi, on the issue, Mr. Kharge said.

It has urged the Centre to issue directions to Andhra Pradesh to immediately stop all unauthorised projects.

The Leader of the Opposition, B.S. Yediyurappa and the floor leader of the Janata Dal (U), J.C. Madhuswamy, demanded that the Government move a resolution in the House requesting the Centre to send a team to Andhra Pradesh to inspect the "illegal" projects.

It was when the Kannada Chaluvali member, Vatal Nagaraj, urged Mr. Kharge to lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi to apprise the Prime Minister on the gravity of the issue that the Chief Minister announced that the Government will take the all-party delegation to New Delhi soon to sort out inter-State water disputes.

However, the Opposition persistently demanded that the Government adopt a resolution condemning the "illegal" construction of projects and to seek the Centre's intervention.

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