CM to lead all-party delegation to meet PM

The Andhra Pradesh State Legislature Assembly on Tuesday witnessed heated arguments on the alleged illegal construction of projects by Maharashtra and Karnataka on Godavari and Krishna rivers.Expressing serious concern over the alleged illegal construction of projects by Maharashtra and Karnataka, the main Opposition, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLAs on Tuesday demanded that the Congress government mount pressure on the Centre to save the interests of the state.

The TDP supremo, Mr N Chandrababu Naidu, demanded that Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi to pile up pressure on the Centre.The TDP members alleged illegal construction by Maharashtra on Godavari near Babli and a number of small barrages by Karnataka would severely affect the flow of water into downstream Andhra Pradesh.Not satisfied with the Minister for Major Irrigation projects P Lakshmaiah’s reply, the TDP members staged dharna in the House.

At this stage, the Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy introduced a resolution taking an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to urge him to intervene and stop Maharashtra and Karnataka from proceeding with the construction of illegal irrigation projects in the Krishna and Godavari basin.The House unanimously passed the resolution to take a delegation under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and sought Prime Minister's direction for

Maharashtra and Karnataka governments over the issue of "illegal" construction of barrages across Godavari and Krishna rivers.The Chief Minister pointed out, that

Maharashtra was building 13 projects illegally on Godavari and the Karnataka government was building 58 barrages, with each capable of impounding 2 tmc ft of water on

Krishna river.