Andhra CM Naidu promises to address Krishna water dispute soon

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said he will soon address issues related to the Krishna River water dispute, following claims by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy that Andhra Pradesh halted the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project under pressure.

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he would soon address all the issues related to dispute over sharing of Krishna River waters.

He stated this when media persons approached him on Sunday seeking his reaction to the statement made by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in State Legislative Assembly on Saturday over Krishna water.

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Chandrababu Naidu was in Hyderabad to console the family of Pinnamaneni Saibaba, former president of the NTR Fans Association and former chairman of the Differently-abled Corporation in the combined Andhra Pradesh.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president visited Saibaba’s house in Secunderabad and paid him rich tributes.

When the Chief Minister was leaving Saibaba’s residence, media representatives questioned him regarding the ongoing dispute over Krishna waters between the two Telugu states. Responding to the queries, Naidu simply stated, “I will speak on all these matters very soon.”

While replying to a debate on short discussion on Krishna waters in Telangana Assembly on Saturday, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy claimed that Andhra Pradesh stopped Rayalaseema lift irrigation project after he put pressure on Chandrababu Naidu and the Central government.

The Andhra Pradesh government condemned Revanth Reddy’s statement that the coalition government in Andhra Pradesh halted the Rayalaseema Lift Project to protect Telangana’s interests.

The Telugu Desam Party-led government termed as “factually incorrect and misleading” the remarks made by Revanth Reddy.

The Andhra Pradesh government clarified that there is no truth in Revanth Reddy’s claim that the project was stopped at his request and out of respect by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

Revanth Reddy also claimed that he told Chandrababu Naidu that he would be ready to discuss any inter-state issue only if Andhra Pradesh stops Rayalaseema project which was taking away three TMC of water every day.

The Telangana Chief Minister also offered to send a fact-finding committee comprising leaders of all parties including main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to verify if the project has stopped or not.