Telangana Govt to move SC against AP irrigation projects

Hyderabad: The Telangana Government has decided to approach the Supreme Court against two major river interlinking projects proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government – the Godavari-Banakacherla Link Scheme and the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS).

Irrigation and civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy announced the decision during a high-level review meeting held at Jala Soudha on Friday, April 4.

The minister said both schemes violated the established water-sharing agreements, and posed a serious threat to Telangana’s irrigation projects and drinking water requirements. He stated that the projects were being taken up unilaterally by Andhra Pradesh without approvals from the appropriate regulatory authorities.

As part of the legal preparation, a special meeting will be convened shortly with legal experts, standing counsels of the irrigation department, and the advocate general, to chalk out the strategy to file a petition in the Supreme Court. The minister said Telangana will firmly contest the schemes in court to safeguard its rightful share in the Godavari and Krishna river waters.

“The Godavari-Banakacherla Link Scheme is a massive project proposed by the Andhra Pradesh Government at an estimated cost of Rs 80,112 crore. The plan involves diverting 200 tmcft of water from the Godavari river at Polavaram to Rayalaseema through the Bollapalli reservoir and Banakacherla head regulator. The proposal seeks to interlink the Godavari, Krishna, and Penna rivers,” the minister stated.

Reddy said that the project directly violated the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award of 1980, and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA) of 2014. He pointed out that Andhra Pradesh has not secured mandatory clearances from the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), or the Apex Council.

He said Andhra Pradesh was trying to use Sections 46(2) and 46(3) of APRA, which allow for the development of backward regions, to secure central funds. He, however, warned that such provisions couldn’t override the requirement for statutory approvals and environmental safeguards.

“Telangana had earlier raised strong objections to RLIS, which is aimed at drawing water from the Krishna river basin. As a result of continuous efforts, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC) ruled in February that Andhra Pradesh must restore the RLIS site to its pre-construction stage,” Reddy stated.

“The committee stated that Andhra Pradesh had violated environmental norms and must provide photographic evidence, details of restoration, and timelines before reapplying for environmental clearance. The EAC’s decision followed multiple representations by Telangana at the National Green Tribunal, Supreme Court, MoEF&CC, and other platforms,” he added.

Reddy said that Andhra Pradesh was still continuing to pursue the project through other means, but cautioned that the Telangana Government would’nt remain a silent spectator to it, and would raise the issue in the Supreme Court to prevent any illegal construction or diversion of water.

The minister also raised concerns about the safety of Bhadrachalam, a major town located along the Godavari river. He said the large-scale diversion of floodwaters from Polavaram to Rayalaseema could affect the natural flood pattern downstream and put the temple town at risk.

He said that the state Government would seek central assistance for the construction of a protection wall around Bhadrachalam to safeguard the town from future flood threats.

“We are taking proactive measures to ensure that Bhadrachalam is protected from any adverse impact due to changes in the Godavari’s flow,” he said.

He also said tenders for desiltation works to enhance water storage in tanks and reservoirs to improve irrigation efficiency across the state would be called soon.

“We must ensure that every drop of water is used effectively. There should be maximum and scientific utilisation of irrigation resources. Telangana cannot afford to waste water while fighting for its rightful share,” he said.

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Reddy also criticised the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government for its failure to protect Telangana’s interests by allowing Andhra Pradesh to expand its water withdrawal capacity unchecked.

He pointed out that the capacity of the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator was increased from 44,000 to 92,600 cusecs between 2005 and 2023, with little resistance from Telangana. He said the delay in holding the Apex Council meeting in August 2020 gave Andhra Pradesh a free hand to proceed with RLIS tenders.

The minister said the Congress government was committed to correcting the past mistakes, by defending the state’s water rights through legal and institutional mechanisms.

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