ANANTAPUR: Leaders of the CPI have alleged that the State Government and the ruling Congress have been following double standards in meeting the interests of the Chief Minister's Kadapa district and neighbouring Anantapur district.

Talking to newspersons here on Thursday party district secretary M.V. Ramana and former legislator K. Ramakrishna ridiculed the Government's argument over the demand for allocation of 10 tmcft water to Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir (PABR) that the Krishna Water Tribunal would object to it.

They sought to know when the Government had gone ahead with issuing GO 170 increasing the capacity of Pothireddypadu head regulator from 11,150 cusecs to 40,000 cusecs without any problem, why it was hesitating in giving water to the most drought-prone district. "Won't the tribunal object to the Government's one-sided decision on Pothireddypadu?" they asked.

The CPI leaders explained that the head regulator is being currently used to draw 34 tmcft of assured water to Telugu Ganga (15 tmcft for drinking water needs of Chennai) and Srisailam Right Branch Canal (19 tmcft). Besides, it was also being used for unofficial drawal of water to KC Canal.

By issuing GO 170, the Government intends to draw 68 tmcft additional water from the head regulator to Galeru-Nagari, KC Canal and Telugu Ganga irrigation projects. But, when asked to allocate water for PABR, the Government is citing tribunal as an objection, the CPI leaders said.

They reminded that the Congress Government led by T. Anjaiah had accepted an all-party agreement reached in 1981 for utilising 10 tmcft of KC Canal quota in Tungabhadra reservoir for PABR by supplementing KC Canal with a similar quantity from Srisailam reservoir.

The previous TDP Government had issued a GO in January 2004 allocating 5 tmcft water to PABR and the Congress Government had hiked the allocation to 10 tmcft with help of another GO in August 2004.

Though the two GOs were not clear from where water would be adjusted, the Governments had assured allocation due to the recurring drought in the district.

As GO 170 had caused heartburn in farmers below Nagarjunasagar and Prakasam barrage, the Government was required to allay fears of the farmers concerned.

The amendments proposed to the GO should also incorporate the issue of allocation of 10 tmc ft to PABR by clearly stating that KC Canal's quota in Tungabhadra reservoir would be given to PABR and KC Canal would be supplemented with Srisailam water and also the contents GO 69, they suggested.

The leaders observed that the unilateral issuance of GO 170 had made it controversial. They urged two Ministers from the district -- J.C. Diwakar Reddy and N. Raghuveera Reddy -- to take initiative to protect the interests of drought-prone Anantapur district.

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