Kurnool: The Andhra Pradesh government has welcomed the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) move to inspect the ongoing works on the contentious Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) being carried out at Pothireddypadu in Kurnool district – with a rider.
“The team comprising inspectors should not have anyone deputed by the Telangana state government,” said Muralinath Reddy, chief engineer of Srisailam project.
The change in the stand of the AP government was in marked contrast to its resistance to the inspection, which it made known before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) via a sworn affidavit.
NGT’s southern bench had directed Krishna river management board (KRMB) to carry out inspections at the contentious Rayalaseema lift scheme (RLS) to assess the progress.
On a plea from TS that AP was not cooperating with the inspection, the NGT directed KRMB to carry out the inspection of its own volition and submit a report.
The AP government vehemently opposed the inspections before the NGT bench. The case was posted for the next hearing on August 9 in a petition filed by Gavinolla Srinivas of Nagarkurnool district. The tribunal said contempt proceedings would be initiated if the inspection report revealed any action there that was contrary to its orders.
Expressing reservations on the team’s proposed to visit RLIS on August 5, Reddy said the question as to who should be visiting the project must be decided at a board meeting of KRMB and it should be agreeable to all parties involved in the dispute.
The current team consisting of Roy Khaire, Devender Rao, Meena (who retired two days back) and a member from Power department were drafted for the visit to the RLIS. “This team is not acceptable to us,” Murlinath Reddy said.
Andhra Pradesh state engineer-in-chief (ENC) Narayana Reddy said, "We have asked them to revise the programme. But they are coming on August 5 to inspect RLIS. We don't know what is going to happen."
Narayana Reddy along with managing directors of Transco and Genco attended the KRMB coordination meeting while its counterpart, the TS team, abstained from it.
