Anantapur: YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s “Jala Deeksha” began on a fiery note when he served a warning stating that the prophecy of future wars would be fought for water would become a reality if TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao continues his ‘dictatorial attitude’ in plugging the share of water from his advantageous upstream position and drawing water indiscriminately.
Addressing a massive gathering, Mr Reddy alleged that the TS government was going ahead with irrigation projects though many of them have no permissions from the Krishna and Godavari authorities.
“The rivers flow from that state to AP, and our water resources would be squeezed which will turn the state into a desert,” he said, adding that Mr Naidu never dared to question his Telangana counterpart for the rightful share of water. Tensions that run along the line of control are likely to replicate along state borders on water disputes and the prophecy of Veera Brahmendra Swamy that the future wars will be fought for water will come true,” he said.
“KCR’s contention that TS should get 900 tmc ft of the 1,480 tmc ft of water in united AP has no basis and is not a written law. It should be contested as the lower state of AP will be parched for water,” he said.
The TS government has taking Krishna water at Mahbubnagar by drawing 120 tmc ft of water through the Palamuru-Ranga Redy and Dindi lift irrigation projects. But Mr Naidu has not raiseD the issue, the Opposition leader pointed out.
“Unless the Srisailam reservoir level of 854 feet is maintained Rayala-seema will not get water, but Mr Rao has marked the intake point at 800 feet and has been drawing water indiscriminately and there is no one to question him,” Mr Reddy alleged.
He said Mr Naidu had shown his “true colours” by reducing the draw-down line at Srisailam. It was only after the late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy came to power that the level was fixed again at 854 feet, he said.
