The Telangana government has decided to convene a meeting on Wednesday with all MPs cutting across party lines over its dispute with Andhra Pradesh on the Godavari-Banakacherla project, which the neighbouring state has taken up to divert surplus water from Polavaram dam to the drought-prone Rayalaseema.
The Congress government has invited the two Union ministers, G Kisan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, along with other party MPs, to put counter-pressure on the Centre to reject the project, now awaiting approval from the NDA government. As a key ally of NDA, AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has enough leverage with the Centre to ensure the project goes through. However, Union minister G Kisan Reddy said the Centre is yet to decide on the project.
For the past month, political rhetoric in Telangana has been dominated by the ambitious river linking project taken up by AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who wants to bring Godavari waters from Polavaram to Krishna Basin and then divert it further to Banakacherla reservoir to supply water to the parched lands of Rayalaseema.
The BRS has been accusing the Congress government of doing nothing to stop the project, which they claim will rob Telangana of its share of water and even alleged this was chief minister Revanth Reddy’s gurudakshina (tribute) to his mentor N Chandrababu Naidu.
Today, AP irrigation minister Nimmala Ramanaidu made a PowerPoint presentation claiming that the Polavaram-Bankacherla project will not affect upstream states. He assured that they would only use the floodwaters of Godavari available at Polavaram for the project.
He said, “We will divert only the surplus water that is currently wasted. The water that flows into the sea will be diverted to Banakacherla.” He added that the drought-prone areas of Rayalaseema will benefit from the project, which will meet both irrigation and drinking water needs.
However, Telangana irrigation minister, N Uttam Kumar Reddy differed, saying, “In a preliminary study, the project appears to be in violation of the award of the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal of 1980 and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014. The project, as envisaged, will adversely affect the water rights of the people of Telangana.”
On 13 June, Uttam Kumar Reddy once again wrote to Union Jal Shakti minister, CR Patil, urging him to reject the pre-feasibility study submitted to his ministry by the AP government.
“In light of the above and in order to take further steps and finalise the way forward, it is proposed to take the view of the Members of the Parliament (both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) in a meeting,” stated the minister. Chief minister Revanth Reddy will be present in the meeting and both the BJP ministers in the Union Cabinet have been invited.
Meanwhile, BJP president and Union minister G Kisan Reddy said, “If there are any problems regarding water distribution and flood waters, they will definitely be resolved after discussion with the states.”