Telangana Irrigation Minister asserts to continue fight against Andhra Pradesh on Banakacherla project

Telangana's Irrigation Minister vows to fight against Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, seeking Centre's intervention.

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Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has asserted that the Telangana Government would continue its fight against Andhra Pradesh taking up Polavaram-Banakacherla link project.

Mr. Reddy, in an informal chat with journalists at the State Secretariat in Hyderabad on Friday (June 6, 2025), said that Telangana would suffer if the Banakacherla project was constructed. Saying that the government has already taken up the issue with the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), Central Water Commission and the Apex Council alleging that the laid down procedures and inter-State river water sharing agreement were violated.

“We are not going to accept construction of the river linking project at any cost,” he said adding that the violation by the Andhra Pradesh government was flagged to the Union Jal Shakti Minister and also the Finance Minister. He said a letter detailing the concerns were sent to the Union Jal Shakti Minister seeking Centre’s intervention. He pointed out that the Union Minister had informed Telangana government that he had not received any letter from Andhra Pradesh on taking up the inter-linking project.

Mr. Reddy hoped that Centre would not unilaterally support the neighbouring State in ongoing controversy. He reiterated the government’s commitment to fight the injustice and demanded that Union Ministers from Telangana G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay should take up the issue and ensure the State’s interests are protected.

Blaming the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime, he said that Andhra Pradesh utilised 1254 tmcft as against the share of 724 tmcft water in Krishna. He lamented that had the previous government not wasted money on Kaleshwaram project, all the pending projects on Krishna would have been completed.

The Irrigation Minister said the then BRS Government failed to oppose the Muchumarri, Malyal and Rayalaseema lift irrigation project by not approaching the Apex Council with a complaint. He charged that the previous regime enabled Andhra Pradesh to draw three tmcft Krishna water every day.