New Delhi: The Telangana government has formally requested the Union government’s approval to utilize 1,500 TMC feet of water from the Godavari and Krishna rivers to boost irrigation in the state.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy made this appeal during a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, Union Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee, and senior officials at Shram Shakti Bhavan in the national capital on Thursday.
They sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Union Ministry and the Andhra Pradesh government to utilize 1,000 TMC from the Godavari and 500 TMC from the Krishna, totaling 1,500 TMC. According to the Telangana CM, this quantum of water would enable irrigation for nearly 1.5 crore acres across the state.
Revanth Reddy assured the Centre that Telangana would not oppose any projects taken up by Andhra Pradesh if Telangana’s legitimate water share was approved and protected.
The Chief Minister also expressed concerns over the Centre’s faster clearance of irrigation projects in Andhra Pradesh, while Telangana’s proposals were facing delays. He warned that such an approach was causing misunderstandings between the two states and urged the Union Minister to approve pending Telangana projects like Palamuru-Ranga Reddy, Sammakka-Sarakka, and Thummidihetti.
Additionally, the state requested central funding for the Musi River rejuvenation project, appealing for support on the lines of the Ganga and Yamuna clean-up initiatives.
Following the meeting, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy told reporters that Union Minister C. R. Patil assured that an Apex Council meeting would be convened soon to address inter-state water issues.
The Telangana delegation included MPs Mallu Ravi and Raghuveer Reddy, State Special Representative in Delhi A.P. Jitender Reddy, Advisor on Irrigation Adityanath Das, CM’s Secretary Manik Raj, Special Secretary for Irrigation Prashant Jeevan Patil, and Centrally Sponsored Projects Coordination Secretary Dr. Gaurav Uppal.
