Monday, Aug 8, 2022

Telangana abstains from KRMB, GRMB coordination committee meetings

By Telangana Today

Published: Published Date - 11:15 PM, Tue - 3 August 21

Telangana abstains from KRMB, GRMB coordination committee meetings — (file photo) TS irrigation official says the department wrote letters to KRMB and GRMB requesting to convene the full board meeting

Hyderabad: Telangana has abstained from meetings of coordination committee of Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) on Tuesday citing that a full board meeting and if necessary an emergency board meeting should be called for to discuss various issues pertaining to the State.

“Let board first convene its meeting and clarify its plan of scheme implementation. In the board, we are member States and we also want to discuss our issues to protect our rights. Any deliberation should be conducted in the board meeting only,” a senior official said.

Confirming that Telangana irrigation department officials did not attend the meetings, the official said the department wrote letters to KRMB and GRMB requesting to convene the board meeting.

The Ministry of Jal Shakti said the coordination committee was to facilitate departments concerned in the two States in time-bound implementation and operationalisation of various clauses of Gazette notification issued to take control of major and medium irrigation projects on Krishna and Godavari Rivers.

“What is this coordination committee meeting? What is the problem in convening full-fledged board meeting? Keep the board plan of action as well as our issues in the agenda so that we can discuss them throughout the day,” the official said.

“How can we accept the decisions that are taken in Delhi and attend a coordination committee meeting for a time-bound implementation and operationalisation of various clauses of the Gazatte notification?” the official asked.

He sought to know as to why the Ministry was not allowing Telangana officials to discuss various issues in the board meeting. “Why is the Ministry afraid of convening full-fledged board meeting?” he asked.

Before taking control of the projects into its jurisdiction, the Ministry should first address Telangana’s grievances. “It could be an attempt not to allow our issues to be discussed during the board meeting,” the official said.

As per Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act (APRA)-2014, any decision on important issues has to be discussed and decided in a board meeting. Without having an opinion and guidance of the full board meeting, it is not possible to discuss any issue and decide directly in the coordination committee on operationalisation of various clauses of Gazatte notification.