TRS stages dharna at Nagarjunasagar dam

HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed near the Nagarjunasagar dam in Nalgonda district when activists of Telangana Rashtra Samiti tried to stage a protest against Andhra Pradesh government's letter to dam officials asking them to hand over 13 gates for maintenance by the AP government.

Tight security was put in place in the project area fearing protests from the Telangana side and possible reaction from the people of Andhra as the AP government's request to hand over the 13 gates was rejected by the dam officials.

The bitter war between the divided states over sharing of water took another turn on Thursday with the AP government, through the Nagarjunasagar project's Macherla division executive engineer, asked project chief engineer Purushotham Raju to hand over maintenance of 13 crest gates of the dam to the Andhra Pradesh government.

The plea was, however, rejected and the matter was conveyed to higher officials.

Anticipating trouble from any of the two sides, the Nalgonda district police deployed additional forces to prevent any trouble. Miryalaguda deputy superintendent of police Sandeep Gone supervised the security arrangements.

Meanwhile, TRS activists led by Nomula Narsimhaiah tried to reach the dam site. The TRS leader contended that they would stay put at the dam to ensure that the Andhra Pradesh government or people from the other side did not open the gates.

Police, however, did not allow them to reach the dam. Narsimhaiah, who staged a dharna, alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government was planning to take control of the Nagarjunasagar project. According to the AP Reorganisation Act, Nagarjunasagar dam's maintenance is with the Telagana government.

Even the Krishna River Management Board is not reacting to the Andhra government's letter, he further alleged.

On the need for water to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had agreed on humanitarian grounds to release 8,000 cusecs of water to the Krishna delta through the Right Canal, he said.

The TRS and the Congress lashed out at the AP government and also targetted the Telangana TDP for their silence over the issue when the interests of Telangana are at stake.

Congress leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy said the acts of AP government might lead to water wars. 'Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is resorting to theft of water. He should refrain from creating undue tensions,' he warned.

Irrigation minister T Harish Rao too criticised Naidu for his letter. 'The AP government is trying to take control of NSP,' he told reporters in Medak.

Both the TRS and Congress leaders asked the TTDP leaders to clarify their stand over the issue, saying that the move by AP would be detrimental to the interests of the people of Telangana state.

Harish Rao Alleges Naidu's Conspiracy

Sangareddy: Telangana major irrigation minister Harish Rao has accused AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu of plotting a conspiracy to wrest control over the maintenance of the Nagarjunasagar dam and reservoirs to manipulate release of the river water.

In an open letter released at a press conference here, he also accused the TDP and Congress of a part of Naidu's conspiracy over Krishna water distribution and management.

He said TS TDP leaders were not in a position to influence their party leadership. Moreover, they were enthusiastically inviting Naidu and Lokesh to tour Telangana to strengthen the party's base here.

'How can the father and the son tour Telangana while conspiring against the state,' Rao wondered. With regard to Congress, Harish Rao said the party was in a pitiable state in the state and its leaders were looking to the high command for guidance.