Don't allow Chitravathi dam: Naidu

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 13. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has urged the Centre to restrain Karnataka from undertaking construction of an anicut across the Chitravathi river at Paragodu village near Bagepalli town. He has also requested the Centre to instruct the Karnataka Government to furnish a copy of the project report and not to take up any construction without its concurrence.

In separate letters addressed to the Union Minister for Water Resources, Dr. C. P. Thakur, and the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr. S. M. Krishna on Thursday, Mr. Naidu pointed out that the proposed construction would be contrary to the agreement signed between the erstwhile States of Mysore and Madras in 1892.

Under this agreement, Karnataka was under an obligation to furnish full information about any work it proposed to take up on the river. Work could be taken up only after obtaining the concurrence of Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister said newspaper reports that the Karnataka Government was planning to construct an anicut across the Chitrivathi had raised serious apprehensions that irrigation and drinking water supply to several tanks downstream in the drought- prone Anantapur district would be seriously jeopardised. The river was the source of water for more than 61 irrigation tanks in Hindupur, Penukonda, Dharmavaram, Tadipatri and Kadiri Mandals and served the drinking water needs of the entire southern part of the district.

Mr. Naidu recalled that this issue was discussed at the inter- State meeting convened by the Central Water Commission, Hyderabad, on February 21 when the Chief Engineer of Minor Irrigation, Karnataka, was advised to furnish project details to Andhra Pradesh. But, the Karnataka Government had not sent any report so far, he said.

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Section  : Regional
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