Hyderabad: The Telangana Government has decided to approach the Supreme Court against two major river-linking projects planned by the Andhra Pradesh Government. These projects are the Godavari-Banakacherla Link Scheme and the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS).
Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy announced this decision during a high-level review meeting at Jala Soudha on Friday. He said that both projects violate water-sharing agreements and could seriously impact Telangana’s irrigation systems and drinking water supply.
The Minister stated that Andhra Pradesh is carrying out these projects without getting the necessary approvals from central regulatory bodies. To prepare a legal case, Telangana will soon hold a special meeting with legal experts, officials from the Irrigation Department, and the Advocate General to plan the petition for the Supreme Court.
The Godavari-Banakacherla Link Scheme is a large project that would cost around ₹80,112 crore. It aims to divert 200 tmcft of water from the Godavari River at Polavaram to the Rayalaseema region using the Bollapalli reservoir and Banakacherla head regulator. The goal is to connect the Godavari, Krishna, and Penna rivers.
Minister Reddy said this project goes against the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal ruling of 1980 and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA) of 2014. He also pointed out that Andhra Pradesh has not received approval from bodies like the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), or the Apex Council.
He further explained that Andhra Pradesh is trying to use certain sections of APRA, which allow for the development of backward areas, to get funds from the central government. However, he warned that these sections cannot be used to bypass legal and environmental approvals.
Earlier, Telangana had strongly opposed the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme, which plans to draw water from the Krishna River. Due to Telangana’s efforts, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change ruled in February that Andhra Pradesh must return the RLIS construction site to its original condition.
The Minister also expressed concern for Bhadrachalam, a town located on the Godavari River. He warned that diverting large volumes of floodwater from Polavaram to Rayalaseema could change the natural flow of the river and put the temple town at risk of flooding.
