Hyderabad – Senior BRS leader T Harish Rao has accused the Andhra Pradesh government of attempting to illegally divert 200 TMCFT of water from the Godavari River through the proposed Banakacharla project. He demanded an immediate special session of the Telangana Assembly and an all-party meeting to address the urgent issue.
Speaking at a press meet at Telangana Bhavan on Sunday, Rao slammed both the Telangana Congress and the BJP-led central government. He claimed they were failing to protect Telangana’s rights over its own water resources.
Rao warned that Andhra Pradesh was pushing ahead with the Banakacharla project without any required clearances. He said the state had not obtained approvals from the Apex Council, Central Water Commission, or environmental authorities. Telangana and other neighboring states were also not consulted, he added, calling it a clear violation of the AP Reorganisation Act.
“This is a serious breach,” Rao said. “The entire process is being carried out in secret, without legal permission, and with silent backing from central agencies.”
He criticized the double standards of AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who had earlier opposed Telangana’s irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram, Palamuru-Rangareddy, and Bhakta Ramadasu. Naidu had filed objections with the National Green Tribunal and the Centre, claiming environmental and legal concerns. But now, the same leaders were moving forward with a new Godavari-based project without facing any objections, Rao said.
The BRS leader also pointed out what he called the Centre’s unfair treatment of Telangana. While the Polavaram project in AP received over ₹80,000 crore and was declared a national project, Telangana’s key irrigation schemes like Kaleshwaram and Sitarama were left out. He revealed that the Centre was now proposing to fund 50% of Banakacharla through grants and allow AP to raise the rest under FRBM limit exemptions—a benefit never offered to Telangana.
Rao questioned the rationale behind funding a project that hasn’t received a single approval. “Why is Telangana being treated like a stepchild?” he asked. “Our state has invested heavily in building sustainable irrigation projects. Don’t our efforts matter?”
He urged the Telangana government to immediately convene a special Assembly session, pass a resolution opposing the Banakacharla project, and take the matter to the Supreme Court to seek a stay on its execution.
