Date:10/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/10/stories/2005051011120400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TDP demands all-party meet

Special Correspondent

Construction of barrages by Maharashtra

HYDERABAD: Charging the Government with inaction on the issue of construction of 11 barrages on the Godavari in Maharashtra, the Telugu Desam Party has demanded an all-party meeting to discuss ways of tackling the problem.

Addressing a press conference, the TDP leaders -- K. Srihari, S. Venugopalachary and S. Maruthi -- said going by the "vague response" from the Irrigation Minister, P. Lakshmaiah, it was clear that the Government was not taking the issue seriously. They wanted the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, to raise the matter with the Maharashtra Government urgently.

This was because if the Maharashtra went ahead with the construction of these barrages there was danger of the Sriramsagar Project (SRSP) going dry. As many as six districts in Telangana now served by SRSP -- Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda and Khammam districts -- would turn into a desert.

Cooperation promised

The TDP would cooperate with the Government in whatever steps it takes. But the Government had failed to take action when tenders were called for these barrages in August last year and even when work began in January. The barrages were being built in the name of checkdams, in clear violation of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal award. The Maharashtra Government had neither taken the concurrence of the State Government nor approval from the Central Water Commission.