Stop AP’s Godavari-Banakacheral project: CM Revanth to Centre, requests 1,500 TMC water for Telangana

New Delhi/ Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister Capt. N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday appealed to Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil to reject the pre-feasibility report of the Godavari-Banakacheral project proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government.

After the all-party meeting of Members of Parliament in Hyderabad, CM Revanth went to New Delhi to present the case for Telangana.

Here are some of the important points raised by CM Revanth in the meeting:

- Farmers and people of Telangana are upset with the environment clearance being granted to the Banakacheral project.

- After 2014, any new project to be built in the Telugu States should be first discussed and approved by the Godavari River Management Board, Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Apex Council headed by the Jal Shakti Minister and the chief ministers of the two States.

‘AP govt did not follow protocol’

The CM said that the Andhra Pradesh government violated all these important issues even as it was proceeding to construct the project.

The AP government’s claim that it undertook the project based on flood waters was strongly objectionable because there was no rule-based for such an argument.

Centre must intervene, says CM

CM Revanth and minister Uttam Kumar Reddy asked the Central government to immediately intervene in this issue and stop all the works that are being undertaken as part of the Banakacheral project.

Lift irrigation projects

The Andhra Pradesh government has also undertaken works in Purushothapatnam, Venkatanagaram, Pattiseema, and Chintalapudi lift irrigation projects under Polavaram by using flood waters without obtaining permission from the Technical Advisory Board in the CWC.

CM Revanth Reddy explained to Union minister Patil that the changes to Polavaram designs and works being carried out are in violation of environmental clearances, despite objections being raised.

The CM requested the Union minister that the Central government should pay attention to ensuring no violation of regulations takes place while constructing the Polavaram national project.

CM Revanth Reddy also told CR Patil that the Telangana government was ready for talks to discuss the lifting of water to Penna basin by linking Icchampally-Nagarjuna Sagar, which will be funded by Centre, instead of Polavaram-Banakacheral, if the AP government really believes there was any flood water in the river Godavari.

‘Ready to approach Supreme Court’

The CM also requested the Union minister to ensure that the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-2 verdict was issued soon.

The CM reiterated that they will not compromise on the interests of Telangana under any circumstances and will try to resolve the issues amicably through all platforms. The CM made it clear that if the Centre’s response was not favourable, the State government would approach the Supreme Court.

1,500 TMC water for Telangana

CM Revanth Reddy has requested CR Patil the Jal Shakti ministry and Andhra Pradesh government to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Telangana to utilise 1,000 TMC of water from the river Godavari and 500 TMC of Krishna water, a total of 1,500 TMC, with the approval of the Union government.

‘Will not oppose AP projects if Telangana demands are met first’

Stating that 1,500 TMC of water will provide irrigation to 1.50 crore acres in Telangana, the chief minister said his government will not oppose the AP projects if Telangana’s demands are met first. During the meeting, Revanth Reddy said that the Centre was granting permissions to the projects taken up by the Andhra Pradesh government expeditiously and neglected the Telangana projects.

The Centre’s approach in granting permissions is creating misunderstandings and conflict between the two States. Hence, the CM appealed to the Union minister to immediately grant all permissions along with water allocations to the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy, Sammakka-Sarakka and Thummidihetti projects.

Musi Rejuvenation Project

Allocation of Central funds to the Musi Rejuvenation project was also discussed in the meeting. The CM appealed to Patil to consider the State government’s request for funds and release them as the Centre supported the Ganga and Yamuna cleaning projects.

Uttam Kumar Reddy told the media that the Union minister responded positively to requests made by the Telangana CM and him. The Union minister clarified that his ministry had not received the DPR related to Banakacheral.

Uttam Reddy said that the Union minister also assured that an Apex Council meeting would be held soon to discuss these issues.