Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy warned on Tuesday that the state would continue to fight against the decision of the Union Environment Ministry to return the Polavaram-Banakacharla link project proposal to Andhra Pradesh government as it was stalled only temporarily since the Modi government is dependent on TDP’s support.
The expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the environment ministry returned the project proposal to AP, asking it to approach the Central Water Commission before framing the Terms of Reference (ToR) for environmental impact assessment.
Addressing a meeting convened to discuss the Banakacharla project with MLAs at Praja Bhavan the chief minister said, “The returning of the Banakacharla project by EAC is just a comma and not a full stop, we need to continue our fight.”
He reminded that Chandrababu Naidu’s support was required by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the survival of his government. “For the Modi government, Chandrababu Naidu is needed. Like river linkage, this is political linkage,” explained the chief minister.
He even urged the new state BJP president to make the Godavari waters for Telangana his first mission in New Delhi. He also accused the BRS of using the issue to revive the party in the state.
The EAC decided to return the proposal after receiving complaints that it violated the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal Award, 1980 and suggested that AP should approach CWC to examine inter state issues and necessary approvals.
Meanwhile, after the minutes of EAC meeting were made public, the Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay slammed Congress and BRS for casting aspersions on the BJP. “Congress and BRS jointly carried out a malicious campaign to tarnish the image of the BJP. The same leaders of Congress and BRS who were crying foul till yesterday, accusing the BJP of doing injustice to Telangana in the Banakacharla issue, have now taken a U-turn following the Centre’s decision. It is shameful that they are now trying to claim the Centre’s decision as their victory,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BRS also claimed credit for stalling the project. BRS MLC K Kavitha said,“Chief minister Revanth Reddy, who joined hands with Chandrababu Naidu and opened the doors to Telangana water exploitation, should now work for the interests of Telangana. (We) Demand that the Centre immediately hold an apex council meeting on the Godavari Banakacherla project. Pressure should be placed on the central government not to proceed with the Godavari Banakacherla project until 968 tmc that Telangana is entitled to in Godavari is allocated project-wise.”