Taking strong objections to the Banakacharla-Polavaram project proposed by the Andhra Pradesh Government, the Telangana Government has said that the project of the neighbouring State is in gross violation of existing norms and will adversely affect the interests of the State.

Government said that the neighbouring State cannot stake claim on the surplus water unilaterally as the flood water of the river Godavari belonged to all the co-terminus States. “The project being taken up at a time when Telangana’s legitimate water rights are yet to be established is tantamount to infringing upon our rights,” Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy convened a meeting of MPs from all political parties to explain them about the “harmful effects” of the Polavaram-Banakacharla project on Telangana and take their suggestions on the “way forward” on the issue.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was present in the meeting which was attended by D.K. Aruna and M. Raghunandan Rao of BJP, Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM and V. Ravichandra of BRS in addition to several MPs of the ruling Congress.

CM seeks clarifications

The meeting featured a power point presentation by Irrigation Department officials on the scope for Banakacharla-Polavaram project. The Chief Minister sought several clarifications on the exact allocation of assured water in Godavari to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He expressed concern that the neighbouring State planned to utilise over 300 tmc ft water additionally in the name of the proposed project.

“While the pre-feasibility report submitted by the AP Government says it plans to draw 2 tmc ft a day, it is in fact constructing civil works enabling it to draw more than 300 tmc ft,” he said. Officials explained the Chief Minister that the neighbouring State was expanding the capacity of the project with lining works enabling it to draw 8 tmc ft water a day.

Mr. Revanth Reddy expressed concern that if allowed, the neighbouring State would continue to divert water from Krishna basin through Pattiseema project in addition to drawing additional water from Godavari.

Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the State had already addressed communication to AP and the Centre to convene a special emergency meeting of the Polavaram Project Authority urging it to reject the proposed project as it was against the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014.

The pre-feasibility report submitted by AP completely ignores Telangana in spite of being a co-basin State with no mention of State’s projects in it.

He expressed concern that AP had decided to change the operational schedule of the project without consulting the co-basin States including Telangana which was mandatory. “This will result in cascading submergence issues to Telangana, especially for key areas like temple town Bhadrachalam and Manuguru heavy water plant,” he said.

He lamented that the Central Government appeared to be going ahead in giving its nod to the project in spite of objections raised by Telangana.

“Myself and Chief Minister gave a written representation to Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil conveying our concerns about the proposed project on March 3 this year. The Union Minister assured that the concerns of Telangana would be factored in before giving the clearances. But AP is going ahead with its plans,” he recalled.

The State Government had therefore decided to call on the Union Jal Shakti Minister again to express Telangana’s strong opposition to the project that would adversely impact the interests of the State as well as its future projects.