3 weeks ago
Harish Rao urges Centre to safeguard Telangana water rights
People in a part of India called Telangana need water for their farms and homes.
A leader named T Harish Rao wrote a letter to a government minister.
He asked the minister to help protect Telangana's right to use water from rivers.
A board called GRMB wanted to look again at big water projects that were already approved.
These projects were approved by the central government after careful checks.
Mr. Rao said the board does not have the power to change those approvals.
He asked the minister to tell the board to stop reviewing the projects.
He also asked the board to remove these topics from its next meeting.
Mr. Rao hopes the water projects can continue without new problems.
T Harish Rao, BRSLP Deputy Leader, wrote to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil on August 7 seeking intervention to protect Telangana water rights.
He invoked Section 85 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act to request protection of the state's water interests.
Rao asked the minister to direct the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) to withdraw agenda items from its proposed 18th meeting that seek to reopen statutory approvals.
The projects in question, which received Technical Advisory Committee clearance from the Central Water Commission, include Kaleshwaram, Choutupally Hanumantha Reddy, Mukteshwaram, Chanaka-Korata, Modikuntavagu, Kadem-Gudem, and the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme.
He argued that no subordinate body like GRMB can assume appellate powers to review or cancel approvals already granted by competent Union Government authorities.
- Who
- T Harish Rao, Deputy Leader of the BRS Legislature Party (BRSLP), and Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil.
- What
- Rao sought the Centre's intervention to protect Telangana water rights and to get the Godavari River Management Board to withdraw agenda items that seek to reopen statutory approvals for major irrigation projects.
- Where
- The letter originated from Hyderabad and concerns Telangana's water projects in the Godavari River basin.
- When
- The letter was written on August 7.
- Why
- To prevent the GRMB from reviewing or cancelling statutory clearances already granted by Union authorities, which Rao says undermines the legal sanctity and credibility of central government decision-making.
Key facts
- Date of letter
- August 7
- Sender
- T Harish Rao, BRSLP Deputy Leader
- Recipient
- Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil
- Legal basis
- Section 85, Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act
- Board concerned
- Godavari River Management Board (GRMB)
- Meeting
- Proposed 18th GRMB meeting
- Approval authority
- Technical Advisory Committee, Central Water Commission
- Projects mentioned
- Kaleshwaram, Choutupally Hanumantha Reddy, Mukteshwaram, Chanaka-Korata, Modikuntavagu, Kadem-Gudem, Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme
Sources
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