On Monday, Andhra Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao met to discuss the issue. On Monday, Andhra Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao met to discuss the issue.

ANDHRA PRADESH and Telangana have joined hands to work out a plan to interlink Godavari and Krishna rivers and harness flood waters so that both states benefit.

Chief Engineers and officials of departments of Irrigation and Water Resources of both states met on Tuesday to determine an interlinking point where the pumped Godavari river waters can meet Krishna River.

“This interlinking point, whether it is in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana, it should benefit both states so as both states can draw required quantity of water from that place. So far, we have not been able to identify that point. If Andhra Pradesh suggests one place, Telangana officials say they may not benefit much from it; when Telangana officials suggest a place, Andhra officials say they may not benefit equally from it… so talks are going on,’’ an official said.

On Monday, Andhra Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao met to discuss the issue.

“CMs of Andhra and Telangana have decided to inter-link waters of Godavari and Krishna with less land acquisition and losses. Both held a lengthy discussion on linking Godavari to Krishna and other important issues pertaining to both the states at a meeting on Monday. Both discussed about from where Godavari waters can be linked to the Krishna and at what alignment. Both have decided the linkage of water and utilisation of water should be useful for the both the states purposes,’’ an official said.

“Every year, during the monsoon flood season, 3,000 TMC of Godavari river water flows into the sea. One option is to divert at least a few TMC of Godavari waters by pumping to the Srisailam reservoir on Krishna River, which is 400 km away. Once Srisailam is filled, both states and can further release to their respective areas — Andhra can utilise its share to pump it to drought-prone Rayalaseema while Telangana can pump it to its parched southern districts. The proposals for diversion of Godavari waters are under consideration,’’ an official said.

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