Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao today told the Assembly that the TRS government would not sit by and be cheated off its rightful share of the waters of the Krishna and the Godavari.
Elaborating his government's stand on the ongoing water dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the waters, the CM said, "We will not compromise on the river waters issue at any cost. Telangana needs the water for various purposes and therefore we refuse to allow other agencies to cheat us out of our fair share of it."
"Without any compromise, we will claim and secure our rightful 15.9 tmc water through the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, come what may. We are even ready to take the matter all the way to the Centre in Delhi. Our MLAs will fight the Centre to claim our share of the river waters," KCR said.
In response to a question posed by Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on the neighbouring state's Rayalaseema projects which, Vikramarka alleged, were being used to siphon off Telangana's water, the CM vowed that not a single drop of water belonging to Telangana would go to AP. He also flayed the Andhra Pradesh government's "unlawful acts" to "loot" the water that "rightfully" belonged to Telangana.
"Though the case is sub-judice and we cannot comment directly on it, rest assured that Telangana will not, in any event, give up its right to water. I am ready to even lay my life down to ensure this," KCR said.
His assertions were met with thunderous applause from the members of the Assembly.
filed in:Telangana, KCR, Andhra Pradesh - Telangana Disputes, Water Wars, Water Issues