AP asks Centre to direct Karnataka not to overdraw water

Hyderabad, Sep 13 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Government sought the Centre's intervention to stop peasants in Karnataka from 'unauthorisedly' drawing excess water from river Krishna.

In a letter to Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz, a copy of which was released to the press, State Irrigation Minister P Lakshmaiah said the farmers in the state were denied their due share of water as the peasants in the upper riparian state were opening the sluice gates and drawing excess water.

Referring to a report from the Kurnool Collector, he drew the Union Minister's attention to stirs by farmers in the state due to overdrawal of water of Thungabhadra, a tributary of river Krishna, to the tune of 150 cusecs 'unauthroisedly' by farmers of Karnataka.

Though the attention of Karantaka police and local administration were drawn to breaching of Right Bank Low Level Canal, no action had been taken and there was no improvement in the situation.

The above facts were brought to the notice of the Union Water Resources Secretary and the Thungabhadra Board earlier, he recalled urging Mr Soz to intervene and ensure the due share of water to the state in the Thungabhadra-High Level Canal system.

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