NSP Dam row: KRMB wants Telangana to approach Dept of Water Resources

In a letter addressed to the Engineer- In- Chief Irrigation Department, the river board wanted the State to take up the issue with the DOWR for rescheduling the high-level meeting.

Hyderabad: The Krishna River Management Board, which was expected to play a decisive role in resolving the row over the operational control of Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, has directed the irrigation officials of the State to approach the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti on the issue.

In a letter addressed to the Engineer- In- Chief Irrigation Department, the river board wanted the State to take up the issue with the DOWR for rescheduling the high-level meeting. The meeting was convened by the Secretary Water Resources, Debashree Mukherjee on December 6 to discuss the situation on the project it was later put off by two days.

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The forcible intrusion of AP officials and police forces into the project that was under the operational control of Telangana State resulted in an ugly confrontation between the two states calling for the intervention of Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla. He has ordered restoration of status quo on the dam to pre- Nov 28 status by deploying the CRPF forces.

At his behest, the Secretary, Department of water resources also convened a meeting of the chief secretaries of both TS and AP in New Delhi. But in view of impact of the Michaung Cyclone and change of government in Telangana, the State Chief Secretary, Shanti Kumari has made a request to the Secretary Water Resources for rescheduling it in January.

The State was also reminded by the KRMB in its letter on the need for handing over the operational control of the project and the implementation of the resolutions adopted at the 15th meeting of Board, according to officials.