Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's dream project, expanding kalesvaram lift irrigation scheme. There is a water sharing dispute between the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

State government sources said the Chief Minister along with both the parties are pursuing the issue legally so that the construction of all the irrigation projects in the state can be expedited and completed as per the schedule.

The state government has invited tenders to increase waterlifting capacity from 2 TMC to 3 TMC and has entered into agreements with 6 contracting companies for expansion. The first phase (a project capable of lifting 2 TMC of water in two days) has already been completed.

However, with the EP government objecting to the Telangana irrigation projects, the Union Power Ministry has asked both the governments to withdraw their projects. Water and Power Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has asked the Chief Minister to stop the construction of seven irrigation projects by the AP in December 2020 until the Godavari River Management Board, Central Water Commission and the Supreme Council make a mandatory assessment.

The EP government has objected to work on Kaleswaram LIS, Sitarama LIS, GUS Phase-IL, Tupakulgudem Project, Telangana Drinking Water Supply Project, Lower Penganga River Barrage, Pakhal Lake from Ramappa Lake. According to Water Resources Department officials, the National Green Tribunal has directed the Telangana government to strictly abide by the Indian Union directives regarding irrigation projects.

Government sources said KCR will hold a meeting with irrigation experts to expedite the construction of these projects and formulate a strategy to address the issues.

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