Scrap Maharashtra Water Agreement: Telangana TDP

The Telangana TDP today demanded that the State government scrap the Telangana-Maharashtra water agreement that was inked recently.

TDP leaders Revanth Reddy, L Ramana and others took up a rally from NTR Trust Bhavan to Jalasoudha in Errum Manzil colony, protesting against the agreement. Speaking on the occasion, the TDP leaders alleged that the Telangana government had signed the agreement on a false premise, and was apathetic to the interests of the people of Telangana. They highlighted the specifications of the project to support the allegation.

"The irrigation canals will supply water for a distance of 80 kilometres, if the reservoir is constructed on Thummidi Hatti at a height of 152 metres. But the State has instead decided to shift it to Medigadda and construct it at a height of 148 metres. This height is advantageous only to Maharashtra, and will cause water scarcity in northern Telangana. Also, the project will need around 4,700 MW of power for lift operation. Overall, the treasury will have to bear an additional Rs. 50,000 crores, and a total of Rs. 1 lakh crores will be incurred by the State for redesigning the projects on Godavari and its tributaries," they claimed.

Later, the Hyderabad police arrested the Telangana TDP leaders at Jalasoudha and shifted them to a police station nearby, as the protest allegedly caused public disturbance and clogged the roads.