Rayalaseema forum objects to national status for Karnataka\'s Upper Bhadra project

TIRUPATI: Rayalaseema Intellectual Forum has objected to the central government granting national status to the Upper Bhadra Project in Karnataka without due process and despite many legal challenges from several states.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, forum convener M. Purushotham Reddy pointed out that when Upper Bhadra had been launched in 2008 with a capacity of 42 TMC, Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-1) refused to allot water for the project in accordance with the Bachawat Award, dated 31.05.1976. Subsequently, KWDT-2, dated 13-12-2010, allocated 9 TMC to the project, though even that had been contrary to norms.

The government of AP, which had then been a united States, filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, which stayed the 2010 KWDT-2 award.

Purushotham Reddy said despite the Supreme Court's stay, the centre cleared the project in 2017, ignoring concerns and opinions. The Central Water Commission (CWC) too granted technical clearances for 29.90 TMC in 2020, without taking into account the consistent objections voiced by AP.

In 2022, the centre’s Jal Shakti Ministry proposed it as a national project with an estimated cost of ₹16,125 crores. ₹5,300 crores have been allotted to it in the most recent budget. “The centre is clearly acting in favour of Karnataka before the general assembly elections in that state, ignoring the AP government's appeals and concerns,” the forum convenor regretted.

He underlined that the project would seriously affect water availability to Rayalaseema from the Tungabhadra River, which is the region's lifeline.

“Central government should have declared the Upper Bhadra Project illegitimate. Instead, it has chosen to trample on the spirit of federalism by declaring a national status for the project,” Purushotham Reddy remarked.

He requested MPs from Andhra Pradesh to fight against the central government's discrimination against AP in the ongoing session of parliament. He also wanted the ruling YSR Congress party to pressurise the centre by taking cooperation from all political parties and halt the project that will cause a loss to AP, particularly the Rayalaseema region.