Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Govt. sure of Centre stopping Andhra Pradesh projects

Staff Correspondent

We have filed petition before the new Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal: Kharge

GULBARGA: The Government is optimistic that the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, will withhold clearances given to Andhra Pradesh to take up irrigation projects in the Krishna Basin, the Water Resources Minister, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, has said.

"We have also filed a petition before the new Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal asking it to stop Andhra Pradesh from going ahead with the projects," Mr. Kharge said here on Thursday.

"We have a Supreme Court judgment in our favour. It says that any lower riparian State can use the excess waters of a river but cannot claim the share in water as a matter of right.

"The lower riparian State is also prohibited from creating permanent infrastructure for using such water. We have brought this judgment to the notice of the Prime Minister," Mr. Kharge added.

The Minister claimed that the Andhra Pradesh Government had started building dams, canals and other infrastructure before even being allotted its share of water. "But we are hopeful we will stop Andhra Pradesh from going ahead with the projects," Mr. Kharge said.

Kalasa Bandori

About the administrative stay on the Kalasa Bandori Nullah projects aimed at providing drinking water to Hubli and Dharwad, he said he has sought information from the Union Water Resources Ministry and "we hope the Minister will clear the project."

The Central Water Commission has cleared the project aimed at diverting the waters of the Mahadayi to the Malaprabha to utilise 7.5 tmcft of water.

However, the Manohar Parikkar Government of Goa had brought pressure to bear upon the then National Democratic Alliance Government to intervene and the State had to stop work on the project, Mr. Kharge said.

A Rs. 68-crore water project for Gulbarga city will be taken up soon, he said. Contract for the project has been awarded to Larsen and Toubro and the company has been asked to expedite work on the project.

The Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board will provide Rs. 24 crores and the Government will release the balance.

The Government will take up work to remove silt from 300 lakes in the first phase under a World Bank-aided project.

This work will be completed by March 2006. As many as 2005 lakes have been included in the project and they will be taken up in phases, Mr. Kharge said.

The Government will make available funds to the Raitha Kayaka Kere Programme under the drought relief or NABARD schemes.

The programme aims at removing silt from lakes in villages by collecting 25 per cent of the cost from the residents. The Government will contribute the balance, Mr. Kharge said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

Govt. sure of Centre stopping Andhra Pradesh projects

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu