Date:18/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/18/stories/2003041803860600.htm

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Govt. to move SC against Karnataka

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD APRIL 17. The Andhra Pradesh Government today decided to approach the Supreme Court for stopping the Paragodu project taken up by Karnataka on the Chitravathi river for which the Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, laid the foundation on Wednesday.

The Major Irrigation Minister, Kadiam Srihari, disclosed this to The Hindu this evening that Paragodu was an old issue with Karnataka proposing the anicut project at a place 30 km from the common border and Andhra Pradesh opposing it. Andhra Pradesh had addressed protest letters to Karnataka on the one hand and to the Union Ministry of Water Resources and the Central Water Commission on the other, objecting to the project, the latest one being on Tuesday. But, Mr. Krishna had gone ahead with the programme, the Minister said.

The Minister said Wednesday's Cabinet meeting decided to seek "legal means'' to protect the State's interests. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, held detailed discussions on the contentious project today also.

The Karnataka Government thus opened up the old issue. Andhra Pradesh built an anicut of its own long ago on the Chitravathi, about 60 km downstream of the common border. Officials said with commencement of work on Paragodu, the Chitravathi Balancing Reservoir would have no life at all.

The Animal Husbandry Minister, N. Kistappa, who belongs to Anantapur district, said a large number of would-be affected farmers from Anantapur went to the foundation laying ceremony to plead with the Karnataka Chief Minister against the project, and arguments and counter-arguments followed between them and Karnataka officials. All of them were arrested by the Bagepalli police but were let off later on personal bond.