Hyderabad/Hosapete: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy urged Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil to find a permanent solution to the interstate Tungabhadra river water-sharing issue. Union Minister Patil said the Centre planned to de-silt major reservoirs. De-silting would enhance Tungabhadra reservoir’s storage capacity, he added.

He participated at the inauguration of the newly installed 33 spillway crest gates of the Tungabhadra Dam at Hosapete on Thursday, alongside Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar, AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu and Patil. Speaking on the occasion Revanth expressed confidence that the Centre would resolve the long-pending dispute.

He described the day as a red-letter day it marked the first meeting of the three CMs chaired by the Union minister to discuss the Tungabhadra water-sharing issue. He said political parties should rise above politics and work for the benefit of farmers. The farmers were able to utilise only 5 to 6 tmcft of Telangana’s allocated 17.9 tmcft from the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, leaving about 10 tmcft unutilized due to various reasons, he added.

Karnataka CM Shivakumar described the occasion as a historic event for South India and said the three states had reached a consensus on measures, including de-silting the reservoir and examining a balancing reservoir at Navali.

AP CM called for interlinking rivers across the country, urging the Centre to take up the Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project to reduce floods, droughts and interstate water disputes.