PNS|Hyderabad
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has asserted that bringing water up to Banakacharla is a key objective of his government and defended the river-linking plans as beneficial to both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Speaking on the issue at the TDP Mahanadu, Chandrababu said Andhra Pradesh has always been the last state in the line when it comes to utilisation of river waters, and that interlinking of rivers would strengthen water availability for both States.
He dismissed the BRS’s criticism of the project as “false propaganda” and asked, “What is wrong with tapping the water that is anyway flowing into the sea?”
Emphasising that no harm would be caused to Telangana, he added, “AP and Telangana are like my two eyes to me.”
He claimed his government had no history of opposing projects like Kaleshwaram and reiterated his commitment to irrigating every acre in Andhra Pradesh. He said that he can confidently say that he had developed Hyderabad.
CBN’s remarks have not gone down well with the BRS. BRS leader Errolla Srinivas accused Chandrababu of peddling lies and reviving the old “two eyes” theory just to mask his betrayal of Telangana’s interests.
He recalled that it was Chandrababu who wrote to the Centre against the Kaleshwaram and Bhakta Ramadasu projects, and that the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Scheme was also stalled due to Andhra Pradesh’s objections.
Srinivas asked how a project like Banakacharla, which has no permission, was being taken up and described Chandrababu’s words as an “eyewash.”
He warned that the project was a ploy to divert Telangana’s rightful share of water and accused the TG Congress Government of remaining silent while Andhra Pradesh goes ahead with its plans.
