Jagan Rebuts CBN’s Charges On Kaleshwaram Project

Vijayawada, July 11 (Maxim News): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy rebutted TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu’s allegations in the legislative assembly on Thursday that the state government was mortgaging the interest of the state to Telangana over Kaleshwaram project.

The chief minister told the house that it was during Chandrababu Naidu’s tenure as chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh that the Karnataka government had raised the height of the Almatti dam, thereby impacting the river water share of Andhra Pradesh. He posed a question as to what Chandrababu Naidu was doing then. He reminded Chandrababu Naidu and other members of the opposition party that this was also the case with Babli dam which Maharashtra built. Chandrababu’s efforts to fight for AP’s share of water was hardly seen as anything productive, he pointed out.

Elaborating on Chandrababu Naidu’s criticism of Kaleshwaram Project, Jagan reminded the house that the project was built during the TDP government’s time and if the former chief minister had any objections, why did he not take them up with chief minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekar Rao at that time. Jagan clarified that there would be bilateral agreement between both states on the sharing of waters—Godavari and Krishna. Justice would be done to both states, be it the regions of Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda in Telangana or districts in Andhra Pradesh which would benefit from sharing of river waters.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister also reminded TDP members including Chandrababu that close to 65% of Godavari water flowed into Pranhita and Indrawati tributaries while Sabari in Andhra Pradesh got only 11%. Jagan added that if both states could come to a cordial and harmonious understanding over sharing of water resources, people of both the states would benefit. He criticized Chandrababu Naidu for trying to politicise the issue needlessly.(Maxim News)