Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy urged Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil to expedite a permanent solution to the Tungabhadra water dispute during a meeting held in Hospet, Karnataka.
Addressing a public meeting on Thursday, Revanth Reddy described the day as a “red letter day” because the Chief Ministers of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka met under the chairmanship of the Union Minister to discuss the long-pending issue.
He said all political parties should rise above differences and work together for the welfare of farmers in the three states. According to the Chief Minister, the meeting marked the first step towards resolving the interstate water-sharing issue through dialogue.
Revanth Reddy welcomed the inauguration of 33 new gates at the Tungabhadra Dam and said the project would help resolve a dispute that had affected generations of farmers. He added that the new gates would benefit lakhs of farmers by improving water management.
The Chief Minister recalled that even the Mysore Kings had set aside disputes to protect farmers’ interests. Therefore, he urged all stakeholders to follow the same spirit of cooperation.
Tungabhadra water dispute affects irrigation projects
Revanth Reddy said Telangana receives an allocation of 17.9 TMC of water under the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme. However, farmers in Gadwal, Alampur and Palamuru currently utilise only five to six TMC because of unresolved issues.
He stated that nearly 10 TMC of the allocated water remained unused for various reasons. Moreover, the Telangana government had already informed the Union Minister about silt accumulation in the Tungabhadra river and pending water allocation issues.
The Chief Minister said the meeting resolved to work towards a lasting solution to the water crisis. He stressed that governments should focus on resolving disputes instead of prolonging them.
Revanth Reddy expressed hope that the discussions on the banks of the Tungabhadra river would pave the way for a permanent settlement of interstate water disputes and improve irrigation for farmers across the region.
