Sriram Vedire, Adviser to Maharashtra Government and Former Adviser to Government of India, giving a presentation on ‘Facts and Figures about both Krishna and Godavari river waters allocations’ at the BJP office in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
HYDERABAD
Former Advisor to the Ministry of Jal Shakti Sriram Vedire, who is currently holding the position of Advisor (Water Resources) to Maharashtra Chief Minister, has blamed both the Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and their inaction on enhancing water utilisation infrastructure for the present river water woes of Telangana.
Giving a presentation on Krishna and Godavari Waters here on Tuesday, he felt that there was a golden opportunity for Telangana after being formed into a new State in 2014 to demand for more water in the first official meeting itself held in 2015. However, the BRS government had agreed for 299 tmc ft, though as an adhoc arrangement for one year initially, based on utilisations till 2014. During the combined A.P. government till 2014, water utilisation infrastructure developed mostly in the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
Mr. Sriram said the arrangement was extended every year till 2020 and in 2020 Telangana agreed continuing it until the KWDT-II award after apportionment of water between A.P. and Telangana was notified. Congress heaped injustice on Telangana for nearly six decades and had taken up some projects without allocating water to them. Later, after formation of Telangana, BRS had continued the neglect by focusing on Godavari basin, that too to make easy money, he alleged.
He pointed out that the Congress had done injustice to Telangana while its formation too as it had included four ongoing/new projects of A.P. against only two of Telangana in the AP Reorganisation Act so as to continue them without any opposition from the other side/State.
Stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre had done everything possible to help Telangana, including referring Section 3 (of ISRWD Act) complaint filed by Telangana to KWDT-II, and gave additional terms of reference for apportionment of water between A.P. and Telangana. The then BRS government had taken one year to withdraw its petition in the Supreme Court so that the Centre could refer the matter to the Tribunal.
On Polavaram-Banakacherla (Nallamalasagar) Link Project (PBLP/PNLP) he said the then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had got the second Apex Council meeting, initially slated on August 5, 2020, postponed to enable A.P. finalise the tenders of the project. However, the then MoJS G.S. Shekhawat wrote to then A.P. Chief Minister not to go ahead with the tenders. Since 2014, the Centre had cleared Godavari projects for utilisation of 384 tmc ft in Telangana, but the BRS government had committed strategic blunders on Kaleshwaram Barrages.
He suggested the State government to furnish details sought by the Central Water Commission to get clearance for utilisation of 45 tmc ft water first for Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme and the nod for remaining 45 tmc ft could be taken after the KWDT-II award was notified.
Published – January 06, 2026 07:05 pm IST
