Telangana refuses to discuss Banakacherla

Highlights

Likely to skip Jal Shakti meet on controversial project

Hyderabad: The Telangana government is likely to boycott the meeting convened by Union Jal Shakti Ministry with the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on water-sharing disputes in New Delhi on Wednesday as the Central government has put the controversial Banakacherla river-linking project on the agenda.

The state government has already raised strong objections to the inclusion of the Banakacherla lift irrigation project proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government on the agenda of Wednesday’s meeting. An official delegation led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was invited to take part in the meeting to thrash out interstate water disputes between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. However, the Telangana government demanded the Centre to remove the Banakacherla project from the agenda.

In a strongly worded letter to the Secretary of the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, Telangana Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao stated that there is no need to deliberate on the Polavaram (Godavari)-Banakacherla river-linking project, as it lacked necessary permissions and violated various laws and tribunal judgments.

Rao pointed out that the project violated the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award of 1980 and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 by proposing to alter water allocations and project operations without mandatory consultation and consent of all co-basin states. The project also lacked statutory clearances from the Central Water Commission (CWC), Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), and the Apex Council, he added.

Instead, the Telangana government requested the Centre to include its own pending irrigation projects, which are awaiting approval and financial assistance, as part of the meeting agenda. It reiterated that the Banakacherla project would undermine Telangana's interests and has been objected to in official communications with the Centre. It also sought, among others, allocation of 80 TMC to the Pranahita project on Godavari River and financial assistance for it.

Meanwhile, the Telangana government has decided to intensify efforts and "mount pressure" on the Centre to safeguard its rightful share of Krishna and Godavari River waters. The state government would push for Central approvals for its projects on the Krishna River, seek finalisation of water allocations and request financial assistance for the projects, according to an official statement.

The Telangana government also accused the previous BRS regime of ‘failing’ to secure the state's share in Krishna waters despite being in power for 10 years. The BRS government had agreed to Telangana getting 299 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) of water as its share, while neighbouring Andhra Pradesh got 512 TMC, it said. The government further alleged that the BRS government remained silent while Andhra diverted Krishna water and built “illegal” projects.