Telangana, AP Must Use River Waters Together: KCR

Reiterating that he would maintain cordial relations with the neighbouring States, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao today asserted that he would work in tandem with Andhra Pradesh for development.

Interacting with the media at Bhadrachalam in the Khammam district during the Sri Rama Navami festivities, the Chief Minister said that he would avoid tussles with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu. "We certainly have to work together with regard to the use of river waters and any other development issue," KCR said.

"Along the stretch from Alampur in Mahabubnagar to Bhadrachalam in the Khammam district, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are contiguous States, and Telangana cannot make use of waters at the Dummugudem project which will be used by Andhra Pradesh," he said. He added that AP could get 1500 TMC waters even if Telangana made use of 1000 TMC waters. The Telugu States could both make ample use of river waters avoiding conflicts and wastage into the ocean, KCR asserted.

He pointed out that he had announced mutual cooperation between the two Telugu States during the Assembly session, too, and also that he had agreed to Naidu's suggestion on avoiding conflicts on sharing of river waters between the States.

"The two States have to grow simultaneously, and we will work in tandem," he remarked.