Date:17/06/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/06/17/stories/2005061718420500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Call for new tribunal on Godavari water

Special Correspondent

Party assesses loss to State from Babli project

HYDERABAD: A CPI delegation met the Chief Minister, Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy, on Thursday to plead for effective measures to prevent the Maharashtra Government from constructing illegal projects on the Godavari.

The delegation comprising members of the CPI State unit, Rythu Sangham and CPI Legislature Party, which visited the project sites in Maharashtra, told Dr. Reddy to seek a new tribunal on the sharing of Godavari waters if Maharashtra does not yield to pressure.

The new barrages being built across the Godavari by their neighbouring State would make Andhra Pradesh lose at least 50 tmcft of water apart from 2.7 tmcft that would be stored in Babli project, they said.

The Telangana region would face a serious challenge if the State Government fails in stopping the work on these projects at once, they said.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, S. Sudhakar Reddy, MP, and P. Nageswara Rao and Chada Venkat Reddy, said the Government should also consider the demand of the project oustees in the State favourably. There should be a `land to land transfer' arrangement for all those who were losing land due to the projects.

Submergence of land should be minimised wherever possible, more so in Polavaram, they said.