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Journalism of Courage
Lok Sabha was adjourned for the entire day on Monday over the Babli dam. Andhra Pradesh MPs raised the issue of the dam within minutes of Parliament starting its business for the day. TDP MPs sparred with legislators from the Congress party. MPs have managed to stall Rajya Sabha on this issue on two earlier occasions.
This inter-state dispute raises questions of the management of water in river basins that are becoming increasingly important. In this case, the controversy arises over the Godavari, which originates in Maharashtra and flows into Andhra Pradesh. Both states have Congress governments. The Centre tried to intervene but failed. Finally, Andhra Pradesh went to the Supreme Court which gave an interim order last month. Sonu Jain sketches the contours of a controversy
8226; Where is the Babli dam?
The Godavari Tribunal had fixed a share of Godavari waters for Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Following this, AP built a project called the Sriramsagar dam in 1980. Since part of the reservoir fell in Maharashtra, it compensated the state for it.
Over the years, Maharashtra realised that it was not drawing its share of water from the river and people in Nanded district were facing severe shortages of drinking water. Two years ago, they decided to build a barrage on the Sriramsagar reservoir in Babli. From the first day, it has become a bone of contention between the two states.
8226; Why is Andhra Pradesh protesting?
AP claims that the construction of the Babli dam violates the inter-state agreements signed by Maharashtra. They say that Babli affects the inflows to the Sriramsagar dam that is already functioning at half its capacity because of silting.
According to their calculations, Babli has the potential of drawing 65 tmc water out of the 90 tmc Sriramsagar project, depriving seven districts of Telengana of drinking water. Some of these areas are the most backward 8212; Adilabad, Nalgonda, Karimnagar and Khammam.
The argument also is that though it is located in Maharashtra, the project site belongs to Andhra Pradesh as it had paid proper compensation for the lands it acquired in Maharashtra for the Sriramsagar project reservoir.
8226; Why has it become a political flashpoint?
Since the affected area is the Telengana region, TDP has taken up the issue in a big way. Chandrababu Naidu held a protest demonstration with thousands of farmers in April. TDP leader K. Yerran Naidu led the shouting brigade in Parliament yesterday.
Last month, the Maharashtra police lathi-charged the anti-Babli protestors mostly comprising TDP protestors. At that time, Congress Chief Minister Rajshekhar Reddy condemned the Maharashtra government. To see the chief minister coming out in support of the TDP irked his colleagues in the Congress who feel that the TDP has hijacked an important issue from them.
8226; Has the Centre tried to intervene?
Earlier the prime minister had directed the Union water resources minister, Saifuddin Soz, to discuss the issue and 8220;facilitate an amicable solution8221;. After several rounds of negotiation, the Centre asked the Maharashtra government to suspend work on the barrage. Andhra Pradesh alleged that Maharashtra had not obeyed the dictates of the Centre and went to the Supreme Court.
8226; What has the Supreme Court said?
It has said that Maharashtra can go ahead with the construction of the barrage without the gates. It means that Maharashtra can divert water without storing it. The final order is still awaited.
