New Delhi: The Union Water Resource Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat convened second Apex Council meeting on interstate water dispute on Tuesday, as per the AP Reorganization Act, to resolve the water disputes between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states.

AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy participated in the meeting through video conferencing from AP Bhavan, New Delhi and Telangana CM KCR from Hyderabad. AP CM Jagan is set to have also raised the issue of lifting of additional water from Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project constructed by Telangana on Godavari River in the second phase, while the first phase itself had no requisite approval. He had also pointed out Telangana’s failure to submit the detailed project reports for Dindi and Palamuru- Rangareddy Lift Irrigation projects.

KCR pointed out that AP is going ahead with Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation project when there was no permission for the first phase of Pothireddypadu project. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat asked both CMs to submit the DPRs of all the ongoing projects to Apex Council. We can resolve all the issues in the Apex Council itself as it has the right to sanction permission to the new projects. However, you need to submit the DPR to get the clearance, said Shekhawat.

Telangana CM KCR accepted the request of AP CM Jagan that the Krishna River Board will shift to AP from Telangana, and also said he will withdraw the case in Supreme Court on the issue. The Apex Council first meeting held in 2016 at the Chairmanship the then Water Resources Minister Sadhvi Uma Bharati.