By
Express News Service - HYDERABAD
Published: 16th March 2014 09:20 AM
Last Updated: 16th March 2014 09:20 AM
The scale of corruption in construction of irrigation projects may
come down after division of the state since the execution of all ongoing
irrigation projects will directly be under the supervision of the
central government. Any corruption in project works will directly be
monitored by the CBI, an officer has said.
“The jurisdiction of ABC will go on irrigation projects. Now, the central investigation agency, CBI, will come into picture and directly monitor the project works. CBI sleuths may directly go to a small section office of any irrigation project,” a top official said. The officer recalled that the CBI did not take up the investigation into the corruption charges in Jalayagnam projects stating that they would not come under its jurisdiction. “Execution of projects in future will be looked into by the CBI,” said the officer.
Irrigation officials, who are currently preparing operation guidelines on irrigation projects, have several doubts in their minds, whether the chief ministers of Telangana and Andhra will adhere to them or seek amendments to certain provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
This is because of lack of clarity in the AP Reorganisation Act on certain issues relating to water resources management. The doubts are on how to release water from major rivers like the Krishna and Godavari. Both Telangana and Andhra have rights over irrigation water. Though Krishna and Godavari water boards will be constituted, they will directly function under the central government. “The entire water resource management is now under the central government. We will just recommend where to set up the offices of the proposed Godavari and Krishna boards,” an officer said.
As per the Reorganisation Act, the headquarters of Godavari River Management Board will be located in Telangana and the Krishna River Management Board in Andhra Pradesh. “We are finding suitable districts to locate these offices,” an officer added. “We are preparing irrigation protocols, cropping patterns, the size of the projects. We will submit the same to the central government committee. But the question is whether the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will follow our recommendations or not,” sources said.
The control of the central government over water resources will undermine the federal system. Both Telangana and Andhra governments may challenge certain provisions of the Act in future, said another officer.
Principal secretary (irrigation) Aditya Nath Das will attend a meeting with the Central Water Commission chairman on ‘Protocol for projects in Krishna Basin’ in Delhi on March 18.
“The jurisdiction of ABC will go on irrigation projects. Now, the central investigation agency, CBI, will come into picture and directly monitor the project works. CBI sleuths may directly go to a small section office of any irrigation project,” a top official said. The officer recalled that the CBI did not take up the investigation into the corruption charges in Jalayagnam projects stating that they would not come under its jurisdiction. “Execution of projects in future will be looked into by the CBI,” said the officer.
Irrigation officials, who are currently preparing operation guidelines on irrigation projects, have several doubts in their minds, whether the chief ministers of Telangana and Andhra will adhere to them or seek amendments to certain provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
This is because of lack of clarity in the AP Reorganisation Act on certain issues relating to water resources management. The doubts are on how to release water from major rivers like the Krishna and Godavari. Both Telangana and Andhra have rights over irrigation water. Though Krishna and Godavari water boards will be constituted, they will directly function under the central government. “The entire water resource management is now under the central government. We will just recommend where to set up the offices of the proposed Godavari and Krishna boards,” an officer said.
As per the Reorganisation Act, the headquarters of Godavari River Management Board will be located in Telangana and the Krishna River Management Board in Andhra Pradesh. “We are finding suitable districts to locate these offices,” an officer added. “We are preparing irrigation protocols, cropping patterns, the size of the projects. We will submit the same to the central government committee. But the question is whether the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will follow our recommendations or not,” sources said.
The control of the central government over water resources will undermine the federal system. Both Telangana and Andhra governments may challenge certain provisions of the Act in future, said another officer.
Principal secretary (irrigation) Aditya Nath Das will attend a meeting with the Central Water Commission chairman on ‘Protocol for projects in Krishna Basin’ in Delhi on March 18.
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