Jagan warns Naidu against ‘unfair’ Krishna water reallocation

YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to defend the state’s interests before the KWDT-II, warning that Telangana’s demand for 763 TMC of Krishna water could severely disadvantage Andhra if not strongly contested

Amaravati: YSR Congress Party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to safeguard the interests of the people of the state before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II).

In a letter to the Chief Minister, Jagan said that the state government will have an opportunity to present its case in the upcoming hearings before the KWDT–II.

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The YSRCP leader wrote that this is of vital importance in light of the Telangana government’s demand for the allocation of 763 TMC of dependable water in the Krishna River to the state of Telangana.

If the Tribunal accedes to this request, the State of Andhra Pradesh would be subjected to severe injustice. Andhra Pradesh Government has to now present its final arguments before the KWDT-II and prevent the unfair reallocation, YS Jagan said.

“It is quite distressing to note that the TDP coalition Government in the State of AP does not seem to have any sincerity in protecting the State’s rights over the Krishna river waters. The coalition government is making fragile arguments on behalf of the State before KWDT-II,” he wrote.

The former CM also pointed out the callous attitude of the TDP towards the Rayalaseema Projects.

Referring to the decision of the Karnataka Government to provide clearance for acquisition of 1,33,867 acres of land to facilitate increase in Almatti dam height from 519.16 meters to 524.256 meters, YS Jagan told CM Naidu that insincere attitude of his Government towards safeguarding the interests of the State is giving scope for the “neighbouring States to initiate steps that will result in adverse consequence for our State.”

He recalled that works about increasing the Almatti dam height commenced when Chandrababu Naidu was not only the Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh but also the convener of the United Front in 1996. At that time, opposition parties and farmers were justifiably worried that this development would seriously undermine the rights of a united Andhra Pradesh.

“Despite the agitations, Chandrababu Naidu had turned a deaf ear. It is owing to the insincere attitude of the TDP Government that the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal permitted Karnataka to increase the height of the Almatti Dam. Further, the TDP Government formed in 2014 had also relinquished the state’s rights over the Krishna river waters to Telangana,” the YSRCP leader.

Jagan said again that when Chandrababu Naidu is the Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh is facing this difficult situation, wherein the interests of the State are to be safeguarded.

“At this crucial juncture, I urge that the TDP coalition Government act with commitment to the State and protect the State’s rights over the Krishna waters. Even if even one TMC of the 512 TMC of net water allocated by the Bachawat Tribunal were to be lost, the TDP Government would be held responsible for it,” he added.