Exercise restraint: PM to Maha, AP on Babhli

Singh and Union Water Resources Minister P K Bansal held a meeting with Ashok Chavan and K Rosaiah, the chief ministers of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, in the wake of attempts by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu to revive the issue of Babhli barrage two weeks back.

Leaders from Andhra Pradesh have claimed that Maharashtra has gone ahead with construction of the barrage and thus violated the apex court's interim orders.

"During the discussions it was noted that the matter was pending before the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court was likely to adjudicate on its own," Bansal told reporters after the hour-long meeting.

In the meantime, the leaders agreed that the two states would "strictly abide" by the interim ruling of the Supreme Court on the matter.

"The Central Water Commission would continue to verify the compliance of the Supreme Court interim order by the states," Bansal said.

Andhra Pradesh had taken the matter on the Babhli barrage to court in 2005, a year after the construction began, apprehending that it would be denied its due share of the waters of river Godavari.

In an interim order in 2007, the apex court said Maharashtra could continue with the construction of the barrage but not install the 13 gates, which form the most crucial part as their height determines how much water can be stored.

Babhli barrage is being constructed on Godavari river around 83 km from Nanded. Maharashtra claims the barrage will extend water supply to 58 villages and irrigate 7,995 hectares of land.

Andhra Pradesh has claimed that the construction of the barrage will alter the natural flow of Godavari in their state and affect the agriculture climate in the river basin.
It has also claimed that the dam was being constructed within the backwaters of Pochampad Dam and in violation of the Godavari Water Dispute Agreement of 1975.
The Babhli Project was cleared in 1995, but the construction began only in 2004.