Andhra Congress lawmakers attend Jaganmohan Reddy’s Delhi fast
By ANITuesday, January 11, 2011
NEW DELHI - At least 20 Congress MLAs, two MPs and two MLCs from Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday present at former party MP Jaganmohan Reddy’s day-long fast at Jantar Mantar here in protest against the “injustice” meted out to the State by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal verdict.
The former Congress MP from Kadapa is on a fast along with his supporters, which includes two Congress MPs Sabbam Hari and Rajamohan Reddy, and at least 20 Congress MLAs.
Leaders from other political parties in Andhra Pradesh were also present there.
Two MLAs from Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party (PRP)— Shoba Naga Reddy and K Rama Reddy, and TDP’s Bal Naga Reddy and Prassana Kumar Reddy also attended the fast.
Former TRS MLC Rehman was also present besides former state ministers— Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose and Surekha.
Addressing the gathering, Jagan said: “We are seeking help from the people of Delhi, asking them to intervene. In the recent past, there have been cyclones in Andhra and the farmers have suffered a lot. So many farmers have died.”
“The Krishna Tribunal verdict came as a shock to us. We don’t mean to point a finger at any state,” he added.
Sources said the objective of the fast is to highlight farmers’ plight who suffered heavily due to cyclones, untimely rains and floods over the last one year and possible adverse impact of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal on the state.
The Tribunal recently allocated the maximum share of 1001 TMC feet of water of the river to Andhra Pradesh, 911 to Karnataka and 666 to Maharashtra.
The Krishna River originates in Maharashtra and flows through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh before discharging into the Bay of Bengal.
Sharing of Krishna waters has been surrounded in controversy as Karnataka has been seeking to raise the height of the Almatti Dam to 528 metres. It argued that the Union Planning Commission approved the original height of 528 metres in 1978.
But Andhra Pradesh contended that Karnataka has been raising the height of the dam without legal sanction, and in violation of a 1974 tribunal award, accepted by both states.
The Central Government will constitute the Krishna Water Implementation Board after three months and the tribunal verdict can only be reviewed after May 2050. (ANI)
