Telangana To Protect State’s Interests Amidst Andhra’s River Linking Project : Minister

On Monday, Telangana government stated that it would take all measures to safeguard the state's interests against the Godavari-Banakacharla river-linking project proposed by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Later that day, while addressing the reporters following the state cabinet meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy asserted that the Telangana government would not forego “even a drop” of its rightful share of Godavari river water and would take all necessary legal measures to safeguard the state’s interests.

Asserting that the proposed river-linking project poses a significant threat to the interests of Telangana, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy recently held a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil in New Delhi and conveyed the state government's objections.

An official statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO) said Revanth Reddy briefed the union minister about how the Godavari-Banakacharla project was against the interests of Telangana state. He said the Andhra Pradesh government was taking up the project in contravention of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal-1980 (GWDT) and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, reported Hindustan Times 

Reddy reminded that according to the 2014 AP Reorganization Act, if a new project is to be built in any state, it must first be discussed and approved by the Godavari River Management Board, Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Apex Council headed by the Union Jal Shakti minister and the chief ministers of the two states.

“Andhra Pradesh violated all these important issues and was proceeding with efforts to construct the project,” he complained and appealed to the Centre to stop all works being undertaken as part of the Godavari-Banakacharla project, reported Hindustan Times.

Srinivas Reddy stated that the cabinet has resolved to submit all the necessary details to the judicial commission, which is probing the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project built during the previous BRS government, as per the panel's request to do so before June 30.