Date:04/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/04/stories/2005070404350600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

CWC calls meet on Babli project

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Central Water Commission (CWC) has called a meeting of irrigation officials of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in New Delhi on July 11 to hear their versions on the controversial Babli barrage being constructed across the Godavari by the Maharashtra Government.

The Major Irrigation Minister, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, said a team of the CWC, after hearing both sides, would send a team to the Babli project in Nanded district to ascertain the facts. After inspection of the project, the CWC team would submit its report. Mr. Lakshmaiah was speaking to reporters after attending the inauguration of the second cloud-seeding radar station at Ibrahimpatnam in Ranga Reddy district on Sunday.

The Union Water Resources Minister, Priyaranjan Das Munshi, would invite the Chief Ministers of the two States for further discussions after officials submitted their report.