AP Govt submits its grievances over Chitravathi

The Andhra Pradesh Government today submitted its objections to the Central Water Commission over the projects by Karnataka on river Chitravathi of Pennar Basin.

The Andhra Pradesh Government today submitted its objections to the Central Water Commission over the projects by Karnataka on river Chitravathi of Pennar Basin.

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Minister for Major Irrigation, Kadiyam Srihari told newspersons that a detailed memorandum has been presented to the members of CWC led by S K Das, pleading them to stop immediately the construction of the projects over Chitravathi river which were basically "denying" the drinking water to drought-hit Anantapur District.

Tracing out the history of dispute over the waters since 1892 between the two states and mutual agreements, Srihari said the Government has also filed a suit in the Supreme Court in May last.

The CWC members, who would meet Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna tomorrow will also be visiting the Paragodu project site later in the day.

However, Das who heard the AP version and received a detailed submission from the State Principal Secretary, Irrigation, J Harinarayana, told reporters that it was not in his purview to ask Karnataka Government to stop work on projects.

The inter-state dispute over Chitravathi project has taken a new turn with an all-party meet presided over by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu yesterday deciding to send a delegation to represent the state's interest in New Delhi and put pressure on Karnataka to immediately stop all projects which ultimately were "denying" Andhra Pradesh, a lower riparian state of its rights over Chitravathi waters.

Srihari said the all party delegation which is being led by Naidu will meet Prime Minister A B Vajpayee before he leaves for China on June 22.