Telangana to move Supreme Court against Andhra Pradesh’s Godavari-Krishna projects: Uttam Kumar

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 Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy announced the decision during a high-level review meeting held at Jala Soudha on Friday.

Unilateral decision

The minister said both schemes violate established water-sharing agreements and pose 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 approval 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 Godavari and Krishna river waters.

Godavari-Banakacherla Link Scheme

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 TMC 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.

Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said that this project directly violates 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 is trying to use Sections 46(2) and 46(3) of APRA, which allow for the development of backward regions, to secure Central funds. However, he warned that such provisions cannot override the requirement for statutory approvals and environmental safeguards.

Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme

Telangana had earlier raised strong objections to the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (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.

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.

Despite this partial victory, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that Andhra Pradesh was continuing to pursue the project through other means. He said the Telangana Government would not remain a silent spectator and would raise the issue in the Supreme Court to prevent any illegal construction or diversion of water.

The minister also raised concern 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.

Protection wall around Bhadrachalam

He said that the Telangana 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.

Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress Government is committed to correcting past mistakes and defending the state’s water rights through legal and institutional mechanisms.

“We will not allow Andhra Pradesh to divert our rightful share of Godavari and Krishna waters. We are preparing for a strong legal battle. Our case in the Supreme Court will be based on facts, law, and the fundamental rights of the people of Telangana,” he said.