Telangana to send objections on operational protocol, handing over of common projects to MoJS

Hyderabad Minister denies allegations of Congress government agreeing to hand over management of common projects.

Minister for Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has denied the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) allegation that the Congress government has agreed to hand over the management of common projects — Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar — to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).

He clarified here on Friday that the State government had not agreed to hand over the management of two projects as also 15 outlets based on them, at a meeting convened by the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) with the authorities of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in New Delhi on January 17. Irrigation Secretary Rahul Bojja, who led the State team for the meeting, had informed the MoJS authorities that the proposal made by them would be taken to the notice of the State government and the a decision would be intimated later as per the government view.

It was unfortunate that the MoJS had released minutes of the meeting on Friday that the two States had agreed to handover the management of the two projects to the river board, while the fact was different. The Minister explained that the agenda for the January 17 meeting had four issues but the key aspect of operational protocol for Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar was not allowed for discussion. In spite of that the Telangana officials had raised the matter.

The Irrigation Secretary had made amply clear at the meeting that allocation of water for A.P. and Telangana was yet to be made and insisted that the sharing of water should be in the proportion of 50:50 till the Tribunal finalised the shares. Further, the Telangana officials had requested the MoJS to refer the matter of management of the common projects to the Apex Council since Telangana had not agreed to it and that a decision on it should be made only after the approval by the Apex Council.

Although the arguments put forward by the Telangana authorities were included in the minutes, the MoJS had erroneously mentioned that Telangana had agreed for handing over the projects, the Minister pointed out. He stated that Telangana would agree to hand over the projects only if the operational protocol for their management was agreeable for it and there would not be any compromise on the issue of State’s interests.

Mr. Uttam Reddy said the State government would submit its objections to the operation protocol and handing over the management of common projects in detail.