Minister for irrigation D. Umamaheswara Rao garlands the statue of Sir Arthur Cotton on his 213th birth anniversary at Dowleswaram in Rajahmundry on Sunday. Rajahmundry MP M. Murali Mohan and Rural MLA G. Buchaiah Chowdary are also seen. (Photo: DC)

Rajahmundry: State Irrigation minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao said Andhra Pradesh will not keep quiet if its interests are adversely affected due to the construction of irrigation projects on the Krishna and Godavari rivers by the upper states.

He was speaking on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sir Arthur Cotton at Dowleswaram on Sunday.

He said that the upper riparian states, like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana, should obtain all necessary clearances from the centre be-fore taking up projects on the Krishna and Godavari rivers. He said that AP would take legal recourse unless the states stopped such constructions. The minister was angry with the irrigation officials for their slackness in completion of projects.

Mr Uma Maheswara Rao said that ministers were working hard towards this, but the officials were not discharging their duties properly with the same speed, spirit and efficiency.

He exhorted the officials to take up the irrigation projects speedily, saying that they did not need to go around to the secretariats for permission.

Mr Rao paid rich tributes to Sir Arthur Cotton who had rendered great service to the people of the Godavari districts. He compared Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to him as the TDP chief too was making hectic efforts to interlink the rivers in the interest of the farmers.