Wars of Water and Pride

Andhra Pradesh (AP) has decided to harden its stand on what it calls illegal projects taken up by Maharashtra on the river Godavari.

Andhra Pradesh (AP) has decided to harden its stand on what it calls illegal projects taken up by Maharashtra on the river Godavari. This has re-ignited a decades old water war between the two states. AP has accused Maharashtra of constructing and expanding the Babhali irrigation project and 12 other projects without its consent, thereby denying the state its rightful share of waters. The projects were in the spotlight as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislators, led by Chandrababu Naidu, marched into Maharashtra to inspect the project area themselves. Maharashtra Police promptly rounded them up, and after two days of high-voltage drama, they were all put on a flight back to Hyderabad. Andhra CM K Rosaiah later said that his government would fight its neighbour in the Supreme Court, even as an all-party delegation is set to meet the Prime Minister on this issue on 26 July. Though he condemned the high-handedness of Maharashtra Police in dealing with the TDP legislators, Rosaiah also said that the issue was not one of Telugu self-respect versus Maratha pride, as made out to be by Naidu. The TDP, however, resolved to keep the issue alive till the PM intervenes, prompting the Congress to ask why Naidu had not protested when Maharashtra took up the project in 2003, when he was the CM.

The TDP and Left parties campaigning for the Telangana bypolls on 27 July have been crying hoarse that the 13 projects being constructed on the Godavari in Maharashtra would drain the Godavari backwaters in AP’s Sriramsagar project  and dry up farmers’ fields in five Telangana districts. As the TDP legislators were allegedly beaten up by Maharashtra Police, the party called for a bandh and resorted to strikes. In Anantpur, TDP leaders  have threatened to not let Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan visit Puttaparthi  to meet Sathya Sai Baba.

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Anil Budur Lulla