Godavari waters forum team for Turkey

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 24. A five-member delegation of the Forum for Utilisation of Godavari Waters led by its Chairman, Dr. M. Shashidhar Reddy, is leaving on a week-long visit to Turkey to study the South Eastern Anatolia project there.

This gigantic project, considered very successful in contemporary regional development, could serve as a model for the State's plans for development of Telangana by optimally utilising Godavari waters since there are several similarities in the physical between Telangana and the region where the Turkish project is located.

Talking to presspersons here on Wednesday, Dr. Shashidhar Reddy said that, after its return, the team would submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister urging him to accord the Godavari project the status of a national project and create an autonomous authority by an act of Parliament to plan and implement the project.

The delegation would consist of the former Governor, Ms. Kumudben Joshi, Prof. K. Purushotham Reddy, Secretary of the Forum, Mr. Y. Jithin Kumar, Treasurer, and Mr. Mohd. Nazeer Khan, Joint Secretary.

During its week-long stay, the team would meet Turkish officials in Ankara and at Sanliurfa besides visiting various projects and development. It would study the organisational structure of the project in terms of independence from the regular Government hierarchy, planning and design of lift irrigation systems, the new technology for construction of dams, mobilising resources, financial viability and role of national and international organisations in making it a success story.

Answering a question, Dr. Reddy said he saw nothing wrong in the Chief Minister meeting the Union Minister for Water Resources, Dr. C. P. Thakur, to discuss the project. However, he saw no merit in the decision to constitute a joint committee of experts because there was no difference of opinion among political parties that it should be a lift irrigation project.

Strongly criticising the BJP's opposition to accord national status to the project, he questioned the party's commitment to the development of Telangana or to building national food security. It was estimated that the nation would need 215 million tonnes of foodgrains by 2025 AD to feed its burgeoning population and the Godavari project alone could help achieve this target, he said.

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Section  : Southern States
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