AP Govt blames K'taka for delay in taking up canal work

Hyderabad, Apr 1 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh government today blamed the upper riparian state of Karnataka for the delay in taking up the works on Bellary-Anantapur canal to draw more Thungabhadra waters to the drought-prone Anantapur district when the main Opposition TDP raised the issue in the state Assembly.

Intervening TDP Legislature Party Deputy Leader T Devender Goud, during the discussion on the no-confidence motion against the Congress Government, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said 7.2 tmc of water was ensured to Anantapur district this year. Silt formation was responsible for realisation of water lesser than the stipulated 10 tmc, he added.

While TDP Legislator P Keshav claimed that the Bellary-Anantapur canal works were not proceeding briskly like the canal digging works from Anantapur to Pulivendula and Tadipatri, Panchayat Raj Minister J C Diwakar Reddy claimed that there was no proper response from the Karnataka government in spite of it's sincere efforts to speed up the canal works on the borders.

Intervening, the Chief Minister opined that TDP Legislator P Keshav continuing in the party after the previous TDP Government scaled down the capacity of the Handrineeva project would amount to betrayal of the people.

Mr Keshav claimed credit for making the upper riparian state to agree to the modernisation of the Thungabhadra project during the previous TDP regime.

Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy alleged that the TDP government had performed 'bhoomipooja' and laid the foundation stone thrice for the Handrineeva Project on the eve of the elections in 1996, 1998, 1999 and it was the Congress government which implemented the project.

UNI SM VA SJ 1724