Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directed officials of the irrigation department to prepare a detailed report, in collaboration with IIT-Hyderabad, on the potential impact of Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh on Telangana. He sought the report in a month, and asked for the appointment of a special officer to coordinate with IIT-Hyderabad.
Reddy expressed concerns at the potential threat that the project posed to the famed Bhadrachalam temple, which faced significant flooding in 2022 when the Godavari river saw an inflow of 27 lakh cusecs of water. He ordered a comprehensive study to assess the risks and propose measures to mitigate future flooding of the temple town.
During the meeting, attended by irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and government adviser (irrigation) Adityanath Das, officials briefed the Chief Minister on another contentious issue — construction of the Godavari-Banakacherla project by the Andhra Pradesh government.
Officials said that the AP government had recently made a presentation of the Godavari-Banakacherla project, which, they said, were being undertaken without proper permissions. They said that this project, which plans to utilise floodwaters, could adversely affect Telangana's water resources and violate inter-state agreements.
Reddy instructed officials to immediately lodge objections with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary. He also directed them to take it up with the Godavari River Management Board and, if necessary, the union ministry of Jal Shakti as a means to safeguard Telangana's interests.
It may be recalled that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had on December 30 unveiled plans for the Godavari-Banakacherla project, a key part of the state’s ambitious ‘intra-linking of rivers’ initiative.
The project, with an estimated cost of ₹80,112 crore, aims to supply drinking water to 80 lakh people and irrigate 7.5 lakh additional acres.
Calling it a "game changer for Andhra Pradesh", Naidu had highlighted the project’s potential to transform water infrastructure in the state. He announced that the detailed project report (DPR) would be completed within three months and tenders called for subsequently.
The initiative, referred to as ‘Telugu Thalli Ki Jala Harathi,’ symbolises a water offering to Telugu Thalli, aiming to address water scarcity for future generations.
