Telangana Fights AP Project Over Water Rights
Telangana’s Irrigation Minister, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, has officially urged the Central Government to reject the proposed Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP) planned by the Andhra Pradesh government. The minister, during a recent high-level meeting in Delhi with the Union Jal Shakti Minister, unequivocally stated that Telangana would object to the project in any form.The core of the dispute revolves around the utilization of Godavari River water.The Andhra Pradesh government intends for the PBLP to divert approximately 200 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of what it terms “surplus floodwaters” from the Polavaram Dam to the drought-prone Rayalaseema region via the Banakacherla regulator.
Minister Reddy strongly argued that the project is fundamentally illegal and a violation of established water governance protocols. He highlighted that the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award of 1980 does not recognize “floodwaters” or “surplus waters” as a basis for project viability. National guidelines mandate that all inter-state irrigation schemes must be appraised at 75% dependability, a condition the AP proposal fails to meet.
Telangana contends that AP is attempting to unilaterally alter the operational parameters of the Polavaram project and illegally divert water that rightfully belongs to downstream users.The state’s legal position maintains that Andhra Pradesh is proceeding without the required consultations and approvals from statutory bodies, including the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) and the Apex Council.
Furthermore, the Telangana Minister accused Andhra Pradesh of attempting to push the same project under a different name, noting that AP had recently cancelled a tender for the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) only to rename it.Telangana views this as a tactical move to circumvent the intense opposition it has already faced from co-basin states like Telangana and Maharashtra.
In addition to opposing the Andhra Pradesh project, Minister Reddy used his visit to Delhi to push for the fast-tracking of Telangana’s own critical irrigation projects. He sought immediate intervention for the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), requesting the urgent allocation of 45 TMC of assured water. He also demanded early clearances for the Sammakka-Sarakka Project on the Godavari River.
The Minister also raised strong objections to the neighboring Karnataka government’s proposal to increase the height of the Almatti Dam on the Krishna River. He reminded the Centre of the Supreme Court’s stay order on the matter and emphasized that any increase in the dam height would directly jeopardize the assured water flows essential for Telangana’s irrigation schemes.
The inter-state water conflicts surrounding both the Godavari and Krishna rivers continue to be a dominant feature of the political landscape in South India. Telangana’s latest representation to the Centre makes it clear that the state is prepared to fight aggressively to protect its riparian rights and secure its due share of river waters for its agricultural and drinking water needs. The Central Government now faces the complex task of mediating between the two states while upholding national water dispute resolution guidelines.
