Interlinking of rivers not in AP interest: Lakshmaiah

Hyderabad, Feb 28 (UNI) The proposal envisaged by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) to interlink Himalayan and Peninsular rivers in the country is not in the interest of Andhra Pradesh, Major Irrigation Minister P Lakshmaiah informed the State Assembly today.

Replying to Congress member Suryaprakasa Rao during Question Hour, he said the proposal envisaged diverting of 250 tmc water to other states while providing 275 tmc to Andhra Pradesh, identifying 535 tmc of Godavari waters as ''surplus''.

Orissa also had objections over the NWDA proposal and the project could be taken only after a consensus was arrived at among the riparian states, he said.

Replying to supplimentaries by TDP member Narendra Reddy, the Minister denied the charge that the State Government had not not taken steps to stop Maharashtra from going ahead with Babli and other projects across river Godavari.

The State Government had impressed upon the Centre to give a direction to Maharashtra to put on hold the Babli project and the matter was now pending before the Supreme Court, he added.

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