No Need for Controversy Between AP, Telangana Over River Waters: Naidu

Addressing a village meeting in East Godavari district, Naidu alleged that certain people were "deliberately creating disputes" instead of focusing on water utilisation.

"What is the need for controversies between the two states over water draining into the sea? Some people do not want water; they want controversies," he said while distributing newly issued pattadar passbooks (land documents) to farmers.

Without naming him, Naidu appeared to target YSRCP supremo Jagan Mohan Reddy, alleging that attempts were being made to stoke controversy in the name of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation project.

It aims to lift water from the Srisailam reservoir on the Krishna River to provide irrigation and improve water availability in the drought-prone Rayalaseema region.

The TDP supremo asserted that he was not interested in disputes and said the future of the Telugu community was more important to him.

He added that Telangana could also utilise water once the Polavaram project is completed.

The mega irrigation project aims to irrigate lakhs of acres of farmland and provide drinking water to lakhs of people.

Naidu said "mistakes" made during the previous YSRCP government had been rectified, noting that it took nearly two years to resolve revenue-related disputes.

"Some people are spreading lies. After making mistakes, they are trying to shift the blame onto others," he said, without elaborating.

Responding to Reddy's reported remarks that the Constitution does not recognise the concept of a capital, Naidu asked whether "a Bengaluru palace or Idupulupaya in Kadapa district" would then be considered one.

Alleging irregularities in the issuance of pattadar passbooks by the previous government, Naidu questioned the need for Reddy's images on passbooks and survey stones. He claimed that Rs 660 crore was spent on engraving images on survey stones and another Rs 22 crore on printing images on passbooks.

"Land is your right. That is why we have embossed the official emblem and issued new passbooks," he said, adding that there was no scope for fraud or disputes.

He said land records were being secured through proper resurvey, tamper-proof blockchain technology and QR codes that provide complete details of land parcels.

As many as 22.3 lakh passbooks have been prepared for nearly 7,000 villages where the resurvey has been completed, and he called for their distribution at the grassroots level