>
Title : Need to stop alleged illegal construction of Barrage cum roads by Government of Karnataka on river Krishna with a view to protect the irrigation and drinking water supply of Andhra Pradesh.
DR. MANDA JAGANNATH (NAGARKURNOOL): Mr. Chairman Sir, I would like to raise an important matter of urgent public importance under zero hour today.
River Krishna and River Godavari are the backbones of our agriculture, drinking water and other needs of the State of Andhra Pradesh which is a lower riparian State.
Upper riparian States of Karnataka and Maharashtra on River Krishna and River Godavari are subverting the spirit of federalism and constructing several projects on these rivers and other sub-basins without even sharing the information with the Central Water Commission of India and Andhra Pradesh as per existing norms.
Andhra Pradesh being the lower riparian State, the constructions undertaken by Karnataka State, the 53 road-cum-barrages on River Krishna and sub-basins are severely affecting the availability of water for the needs of Andhra Pradesh violating the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal Award. They are trying to withhold nearly 150 TMC water over and above its allocation of 734 TMC.
As it is, because of construction of phase-II of Almatti Dam on River Krishna by Karnataka State violating the KWDT Award (Bachawath), the inflow to River Krishna from Almatti Dam is very much reduced as also ayacut under Jurala, Sreesailam, Nagarjuna Sagar Dams and Krishna Barrage Delta. Agriculture activities are severely affected due to the late release of water from Almatti Dam. If the illegal construction of the 53 barrage-cum-roads on River Krishna and sub-basins by the Government of Karnataka is not stopped immediately, the districts of Mahboobnagar, Nalgonda, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts of Andhra Pradesh will suffer due to lack of irrigation water and drinking water. As a result, agricultural activities will get severely affected.
Mr. Chairman Sir, I request, through you, the Government of India, the Ministry of Water Resources, to immediately to take necessary steps to stop the illegal construction of barrage-cum-roads by the Government of Karnataka on the River Krishna and sub-basins to save Andhra Pradesh from becoming a desert.
DR. K.S. RAO (ELURU): Sir, I associate with Dr. Jagannath as this is a very important matter.
MR. CHAIRMAN : The House stands adjourned to meet at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
18.47 hrs The Lok Sabha then adjourned till Eleven of the Clock
on Wednesday, July 15, 2009/Asadha 24, 1931 (Saka).