Water Sharing Issue: Apex Council Meeting Between Telangana, AP Postponed

HYDERABAD: The Ministry of Jal Shakti on Sunday (August 23) issued an order stating that the second meeting of Apex Council to resolve the water sharing issues on Krishna and Godavari rivers between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to be held on August 25, has been postponed.

Although the order said that the postponement is due to unavoidable circumstances, it is understood that the meeting has been deferred as after the Chairman of the Apex Council, Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had tested positive for COVID-19 on August 20.

"I underwent a coronavirus test after developing symptoms and the report has come positive. I am getting hospitalised on the advice of doctors. I request all who have come in my contact in the past days to isolate themselves and get tested," Shekhwat had tweeted in Hindi.

The new date about the meeting will be announced soon, the order read, as reported by a leading daily.

This notice has been sent by the Ministry to Chief Secretaries of the two Telugu states and Chairmen of the Central Water Commission, Krishna River Management Board and Godavari River Management Board.

The Apex Council has been constituted as per the provisions Under the AP Reorganization Act, 2014.

The Centre had earlier proposed to hold the meeting on August 5. However, it did not take place as Telangana wanted another date after August 20. Irrigation projects being taken up on Godavari and Krishna rivers by both the states remain a contentious issue.

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday had welcomed the Centre's decision to hold the Apex Council meeting aimed to sort out river water issues between the state and Andhra Pradesh on August 25.