Bangalore: Ahead of leading an all-party delegation to President A P J Abdul Kalam on June 24, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna on June 23 asserted that there should not be any need for "interference" either by the Centre or Andhra Pradesh in the state's controversial Paragodu project.

"It is a drinking water project. There should not be any need for interference either by the Government of India or Andhra Pradesh," Krishna told reporters when asked what the delegation would tell the Centre on the project over which both states have locked horns.

Karnataka Cabinet had decided last week to send a delegation to the Centre to explain the state's position on its Paragodu project across Chitravathi river to provide drinking water to 100 villages and two towns in Kolar district.

An Andhra Pradesh delegation led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee seeking the Centre's intervention in the project, saying it hurt its interests in Ananthpur and Cuddapah districts.

A Central Water Commission team had also visited the state last week, following an intervention by Vajpayee.

Asked if Karnataka would press the Centre to direct Andhra Pradesh to stop Telugu Ganga project, which the state considers as illegal, Krishna said, "I don't think so."

Krishna was asked the query in the backdrop of Naidu on June 22 asking the Centre to cancel all clearances to the projects in the Krishna and Pennar basins in Karnataka.

PTI