The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Telugu Desam Party demands white paper on `diversion' of water

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 30, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Telugu Desam Party demands white paper on `diversion' of water

Special Correspondent

Party threatens agitation if Krishna delta needs are not addressed

HYDERABAD: Alleging diversion of 57 tmcft of water from the Srisailam reservoir to Rayalaseema region, the Telugu Desam on Wednesday demanded a white paper on the issue.

Addressing a press conference, the TDP MLA, D. Umamaheswara Rao, said it was this diversion that led not only to denial of water to Krishna delta but lot of wastage. Demanding immediate release of water to the delta, he said the party would stage a demonstration before the Krishna district Collectorate on July 1.

Mr. Rao said though the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy had given an assurance in Vijayawada that water would be released to the delta region by June 20, it had not been done so far. Later at Narasaraopet, Dr. Reddy had promised water for the second crop too when there was no guarantee for the first one.

`Broken promises'

Subsequently, the Minister for Higher Education, P. Venkateswara Rao, too made similar promises at Zilla Parishad and Irrigation Board meetings.

After giving all the assurances, Mr. Koteswara Rao told an all- party meeting in Vijayawada on Tuesday that he would take up the issue of release of water with the Chief Minister. "There is no value for the Chief Minister and the Minister's word," the TD legislator said.

He recalled that when the TDP was in power, though the State was reeling under severe drought conditions and the reservoirs did not get good inflows, the Government had kept its word and released water.

In contrast both Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar had sufficient water but owing to poor water management practices, adequate water could not be released to the delta.

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