Silly to allow water to go waste, AP can use it: K Chandrasekhar Rao

Khammam: Stating that the TS government does not want to invite controversies over silly issues with neighbouring states, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said on Friday that Telangana, as a newly-formed state, wanted to develop by following the policy of mutual cooperation.

He said that the AP government could use 1,500 tmc ft of water from Godavari after Dummugudem. “Though the water belongs to Telangana, we do not want to create differences over it. The water will otherwise flow into the sea and there is nothing wrong in AP using the water.”

When asked about the statement of AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu about not giving Polavaram submerged villages to Telangana, Mr Rao said that the states should follow a “give and take” policy.

“Controversies over silly issues are not viable,” he said, adding that both states were Telugu speaking and mutual understanding was need for the development of the two states.

He added that Mr Naidu had agreed to give five Polavaram project villages to TS when he had attended the Amaravati foundation laying program. He also said that Opposition parties were making a “hungama” on the redesign of irrigation projects without having proper knowledge of the irrigation projects of Telangana. “They had not completed a single project in Telangana in the last 60 years. But they are making a hue and cry about the government’s decisions,” said Mr Rao.

He said that the people of Khammam district, which is located between the basins of Krishna and Godavari, have been experiencing acute drought conditions though Godavari flows adjacent to it. “The Sitarama (Dummugudem) Lift Irrigation Project will be completed within three years and every acre of Khammam district will be irrigated,” he said.

He added that the Centre should soften its stance on podu land cultivation and he would try to solve the issue soon.