CMs’ meet on Babhali Aug. 2
At a time when it was feared that the Babhali project row between the states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra would flare up into a big confrontation, it has been confirmed that there would be a meeting of the chief ministers’ conference of the concerned states in the presence of the Prime Minister. The meeting is to be convened on August 2. It is believed that Union water resources minister P.K. Bansal too would be present at the meeting.
Ever since the arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Chandrababu Naidu, who had gone to oversee the Babhali project after alleging that Maharashtra had violated the Supreme Court order on the installation of gates at the barrage, the conflict had become a hot political bomb waiting to explode any moment. The situation became even more messy, after the TDP raised issues of federalism and the role of the Centre in sorting out interstate disputes.
An all-party delegation from Andhra led by chief minister K. Rosaiah had called on the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a few days back and complained about Maharashtra on the Babhali project. The delegation even listed a series of violations on the part of Maharashtra. Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan had denied all the allegations.
The delegation had also requested the Prime Minister to convene a meeting of the chief ministers to sort out the issue. Dr Singh had promised to look into the demand. Later the TDP issued an ultimatum to the Prime Minister to resolve the imbroglio before August 10 or be prepared to face a prolonged mass agitation.
It is against this backdrop that the chief ministers conference is being held. The Prime Minister is expected to be briefed on the technicalities of the project before the talks between Mr Rosaiah and Mr Chavan in his presence.
But is not clear if officials of the Central Water Commission would be present at the meeting.
For the Congress it’s a tricky situation as both the states as also the centre are being governed by it.
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