Centre to form panel to resolve Andhra-T’gana water dispute

The Union government on Wednesday decided to constitute a high-level expert committee comprising officials and technical experts within a week to resolve pending interstate water issues related to Krishna and Godavari river projects between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

- Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil with Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu, along with irrigation ministers of both states at Shram Shakti Bhavan in New Delhi.

“To address the remaining issues in a comprehensive and technical manner, it was decided to constitute a committee,” the Jal Shakti ministry said in a statement, adding the committee will collaboratively assess outstanding issues and recommend equitable and technically viable solutions.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Revanth said both states decided to form a committee of officials and engineers to deliberate on water disputes.

“The committee’s report will guide future action,” the Telangana CM said.

While Andhra Pradesh irrigation minister Nimmala Ramanaidu said his government had submitted a written proposal to the Centre on the controversial Polavaram Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP), the Telangana CM said the issue did not come up for discussion at all.