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Maharashtra must suspend work: Soz

Gargi Parsai

Minister writes letter to Deshmukh on Babli

NEW DELHI: Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz on Thursday again urged the Maharashtra Government to suspend the construction of the Babli barrage across the Godavari till the matter was resolved either through dialogue or court. The matter is coming up in the apex court on April 25.

According to highly placed sources in the Ministry of Water Resources, the Minister `politely but firmly' wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to either sort out the issue amicably with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart or await the decision of the Supreme Court in the matter.

It is understood that in his letter, Mr. Soz, who received a delegation of Andhra Pradesh Ministers and MPs, reminded Mr. Deshmukh of a meeting between the two Chief Ministers with him in New Delhi in April 2006 wherein it was agreed that Maharashtra would stop construction of the barrage till the dispute was resolved.

Both Chief Ministers had agreed for the Central Water Commission (CWC) to look into the dispute along with technical officers from both the States. Till then, no further construction was to be done.

The matter recently flared up and took political overtones after it was raised in both Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh Assemblies. On Wednesday the Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed a resolution condemning use of police force for preventing public representatives from Andhra Pradesh from visiting the barrage site.

Team meets Patil

Earlier, the delegation of Andhra Pradesh led by Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah also met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

They apprised the Ministers of the situation in the State arising out of the recent lathicharge by the Maharashtra police.

The delegation comprised Ministers — D. Srinivas, Mohd. Ali Shabbir and G. Vinod. D. Vittal Rao, Madhu Yashki Goud and L. Rajagopal, MPs, Special Representative Ravi Mallu and APCC president K. Keshava Rao were present.

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