HYDERABAD: In a modification of the earlier schedule, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy will lead the all-party delegation on Babli issue to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at New Delhi on March 31.

Major Irrigation Minister P. Lakshmaiah will also accompany the team as originally contemplated, along with a group of officials dealing with inter-State matters.

The Minister said the delegation, consisting of two representatives from each party, would also meet Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz to highlight the State's grievance on Babli barrage. Delegates from the Telugu Desam would also be on the team.

The delegation would plead with the Prime Minister to issue orders for immediate stoppage of the

works on Babli since its construction would jeopardise Sriramsagar project in Andhra Pradesh, which was serving as a lifeline to Telangana by providing irrigation to crops in six districts of the region.

CWC orders

Dr.Reddy would bring to the notice of the Prime Minister how Maharahstra was not following the orders issued by the Central Water Commission to put the Babli works on hold till it reached an amicable settlement with Andhra Pradesh.

He would also inform him how his Maharashtra counterpart had gone back on his commitment to stop the works following a meeting with him in the presence of Mr Soz.

Meanwhile, chief engineer (inter-State) P. Ramaraju said the Government was also putting all efforts at appropriate fora to safeguard State interests with regard to ten other barrage projects taken up on the Godavari by Maharashtra.

In a statement here on Wednesday, he cited various instances of correspondence held with Maharashtra, objecting to the construction of these barrages.

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