Concerns Over Godavari Banakacherla Project Raised by Telangana Government
Hyderabad: The Telangana government has raised concerns about the potential negative impact of the proposed Godavari Banakacherla project, initiated by the Andhra Pradesh government. During a review meeting on irrigation projects chaired by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday, the issue was brought to the forefront. Telangana officials expressed doubts over how this “game changer” project might affect their state.
To address these concerns, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy directed officials to engage IIT Hyderabad to study the matter and prepare a report within a month. The study will also examine the threat posed to the famous Bhadrachalam temple by the construction of the Polavaram project. A special officer will be appointed to coordinate with the IIT Hyderabad team for this investigation.
The Telangana government plans to formally express its objections and concerns. Officials have been instructed to send a letter to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary highlighting their apprehensions. Additionally, a letter will be sent to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry to draw attention to the Banakacherla project.
Telangana officials noted that Andhra Pradesh has not yet submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Banakacherla project, nor has it received approval from the central government. Under this project, Andhra Pradesh intends to divert water from the Polavaram project into the Krishna River. A reservoir is planned at Bollapalli to facilitate this water transfer, which would ultimately benefit several districts, including Rayalaseema, Nellore, and Prakasam.
Officials explained that Andhra Pradesh had shared details of the project with the Union Jal Shakti Ministry informally and is expected to submit a DPR and call for tenders soon. However, Telangana officials highlighted a key concern: without clear water allocations for both states, the project could potentially reduce Telangana’s share of water in the future.
As a result, the Telangana government has decided to bring the issue to the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) and file a formal complaint against the Andhra Pradesh government. They hope this step will help safeguard Telangana’s water rights and address their concerns over the proposed project.
