New Delhi

Babli: Prime Minister promises “justice to A.P.”

WATER DISPUTE: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy explaining the Babli issue to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has promised that “justice” would be rendered to Andhra Pradesh in its Godavari river water dispute with Maharashtra on the construction of Babli reservoir.

He told a high level delegation of Andhra Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, that the matter would be taken up with the Union Water Resources Minister and the delegation’s request for setting up an expert committee of the Central Water Commission (CWC) to study the issue would be examined. The delegation termed the construction of barrages by Maharashtra as “illegal”.

Dr. Reddy, who had pre-empted the move of TDP, TRS and Left parties, by his meeting with the Prime Minister on the issue even as the opposition parties were planning to hold a dharna on the issue in the capital on Thursday, told media persons that the matter could not be resolved through direct talks with Maharashtra as the past experience proved. The only solution was that it had to be referred either to a tribunal, CWC or a court.

“It is not possible even if the Supreme Court suggests for arriving at a political consensus.”

Similarly there was no point in taking up the issue with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, as both the States were ruled by the Congress/Congress-led coalition government. He wanted to solve it at the “government level, legally and within the constitutional framework”.

Dr. Reddy ridiculed TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu for his militant behaviour and said, “everyone had to work under a framework and should not take law into their hands like terrorists. The delegation comprised, among others, Union Ministers S. Jaipal Reddy and D. Purandeswari, A.P. Legislative Council Chairman A. Chakrapani, Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah and A.P. Congress MPs.

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