Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai to other states: Give us our share of water – The New Indian Express

By Express News Service

TIRUPATI/BENGALURU: Many issues that have eluded solution for many years can be resolved if we work with the spirit of cooperation, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said in his address at the 29th meeting of the Southern Zonal Council held in Tirupati on Sunday which was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

It is inevitable for southern states to work with the true spirit of cooperative federalism as enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the states are geographically interconnected. The states need to come together and work together, only then the country can develop, he added.

The Southern Zonal Council offered a good forum for resolving issues related to inter-state water sharing, transport connectivity, health etc in a spirit of consensus, he added. He raised several issues that needed coordination with other states. Karnataka has already conveyed its stand on river-linking projects in Godavari, Cauvery and other river basins to the Centre. Karnataka should get its share of surplus water in the Cauvery, Krishna and Pennar river basins, he said. He objected to Tamil Nadu taking up the Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar link works even before the allocation of surplus waters to other states.

Centre must not approve TN water project: Bommai

Bommai said Tamil Nadus Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar link works have no legal sanction and urged the Centre not to approve the project. He reiterated Karnatakas demand to the Centre not to accord legal clearance to major permanent irrigation projects taken up by neighbouring states in violation of verdicts of Water Disputes Tribunals.

Telangana has no right to take up the Palamaru Ranga Reddy and Nakkalagandi lift-irrigation projects from the Srisailam reservoir in Krishna basin to draw a large quantum of surplus water, Bommai said. He also opposed the construction of Rajiv Gandhi Sangam Banda barrage by Telangana. Such a permanent project to draw surplus waters would deprive Karnataka of its rightful share, he said, expressing Karnatakas readiness to take up a joint survey.

A joint survey should also be conducted on the impending submergence of villages in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh due to the construction of Gundravulu reservoir by Andhra Pradesh across Tungabhadra river. Andhra should share the details it has submitted to the Tribunal and clearances it has obtained from the Centre regarding the project, he demanded.

On sharing Krishna waters, he said Andhra and Telangana have no clearance for any projects other than the ones approved for utilising the already adjudicated quantum of waters. Bommai appealed for a speedy response on concluding an agreement with Telangana, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala on boosting interstate transport services.

He stressed the need for better coordination among home departments of southern states to effectively prevent and combat crime and strengthen communication networks in border areas. Karnataka is at the forefront of harnessing renewable energy sources. It is the only state which has met the targets set by the Centre. The Union government should remove inter-state tariff disparities in the interest of drawing investment, he added.

The state government has created a Core DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) Forum to ascertain the identities of beneficiaries. In its budget, Karnataka has already announced linking all centrally sponsored schemes to the DBT Forum to prevent the use of fake documents and eliminate fake beneficiaries.

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Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai to other states: Give us our share of water - The New Indian Express