Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday stressed on strong Centre-State relations and good inter-state ties for the development of federal democracy. Hailing the Southern Zone Chief Minister’s conference, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bommai said the zonal council serves as a platform for resolving disputes between central and state governments and among states in the zone “in the true spirit of federalism.” “Strong Centre-states are needed to build a strong nation. Many issues which have eluded a solution for many years could be resolved if we work with a spirit of cooperation,” the Chief Minister said. “It was inevitable for the southern states to work with the true spirit of cooperative federalism as enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the states were geographical interconnected. The states need to come and work together, then only the country could develop,” Bommai said. He expressed his happiness about the functioning of the Southern Zonal Council and said, “it offered a very good forum for resolving many issues related to interstate water sharing, transport connectivity, health and many more in a spirit of consensus. The Chief Minister raised the following issues of Karnataka that needed coordination with other states at the meeting. Bommai said Karnataka has already conveyed its stand on river linking projects in the Godavari, Cauvery and other river basins to the union government. “Karnataka should get its share of surplus water in the Cauvery, Krishna and Pennar river basins,” the Chief Minister stressed. He reiterated Karnataka’s demand to the centre not to accord legal clearance for major permanent irrigation projects taken up by neighbouring states in violation of the verdict of Water Disputes Tribunals. Telangana had no right to take up Palamaru Ranga Reddy and Nakkalagandi lift irrigation projects from Srisailam reservoir in Krishna basin to draw huge quantum of surplus waters, Bommai said. He also opposed the construction of the Rajiv Gandhi Sangam Banda barrage by Telangana. “Joint Survey should be conducted on the impending submergence of villages in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh due to construction of Gundravulu reservoir by Andhra Pradesh across Tungabhadra river. Andhra should share the details it has submitted to the Tribunal and the clearances it has obtained from the centre regarding the project,” he said. As far as sharing of Krishna waters is concerned Andhra and Telangana had no clearance for any projects other than the ones approved for utilising the already adjudicated quantum of waters, he added. He appealed for a speedy response on concluding an agreement with Telangana, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala on boosting interstate transport services. Bommai stressed the need for better coordination among Home Departments of southern states to effectively prevent and combat crime, strengthen communication networks at border areas. Karnataka is at the forefront in harnessing renewable energy sources. It is the only state which has met the targets set by the centre in this domain and appealed to the centre to remove the interstate tariff disparities in the interest of drawing investment.
