Asking the two Telugu States to make use of the river waters as per the Bachawat Tribunal recommendations, the Krishna River Management Board today set a deadline of one month for the governments to sit across the table and find an amicable solution.
During a marathon meeting in New Delhi at the behest of Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, the Board met with the officials of the two States.
The officials again differed on the allocation and use of waters among the two states. While Telangana sought release of 45 TMC from Polavaram, Andhra Pradesh opposed it and favoured its using the Nagarjunasagar right canal waters, and also suggested that the two States make use of the waters available in their own territories now.
The Telangana irrigation officials opposed this and sought their "rightful" share of waters, which was declined by Andhra Pradesh according to informed sources.
Similarly Telangana opposed Andhra Pradesh's demand of a notification being issued authorizing the expansion of the Board's powers.
The irrigation ministers of the two states T Harish Rao and D Umamaheshwar Rao also discussed the issue with Union Water Resources Secretary Amarjith and expressed their views. As no consensus was reached in the meeting with different views held by the two ministers and the officials, the Board set the one-month deadline.
The Board asked them to come with an agreement in a month to proceed further on the contentious river water sharing issue.
filed in:Irrigation, Water Wars, Krishna River, New Delhi, Telangana