Banakacherla: Harish Asks for Apex Council Meet
Harish Rao condemned Andhra Pradesh’s unilateral actions as unjust and highlighted that Telangana irrigation projects require central approval before any such projects can proceed
HYDERABAD: Former minister T. Harish Rao has issued a stern warning to the Telangana government on Andhra Pradesh’s Godavari-Banakacherla link project, cautioning that it posed a serious threat to Telangana’s water rights in the Godavari basin. The project involves the AP government’s plan to divert 200 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) of Godavari water to Banakacherla through a phased project.
In an open letter addressed to Telangana irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, Harish Rao condemned Andhra Pradesh’s unilateral actions as unjust and highlighted that Telangana irrigation projects require central approval before any such projects can proceed. He commended Uttam Kumar Reddy for opposing the project by writing to the Union Jal Shakti minister and urged the Centre to convene an Apex Council meeting immediately to address the issue.
Harish Rao emphasised that AP’s actions violated the 2014 State Reorganisation Act and the regulations governing river water boards. Telangana utilises about 600 tmc ft out of its 969 tmc ft share of Godavari water, having developed the basin through projects such as Medigadda, Sitammasagar, and Sammakka Sagar barrages, stabilising 1.9 million acres of land. The state’s water management includes reservoirs, check dams, Mission Kakatiya, and canal networks, ensuring systematic utilisation.
He noted that Telangana’s detailed project reports include the additional report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, Sammakka Sagar, and Wardha (BR Ambedkar) projects.
According to Annexure C of the Godavari Tribunal, if 80 tmc ft is transferred to the Krishna delta via Polavaram, Harish Rao said, Telangana would be entitled to an additional 157.5 tmc ft from Krishna waters, which can be used for existing projects without requiring new water allocation.
Harish Rao pointed out that while Andhra Pradesh was claiming that it would transfer monsoon floodwaters, the Godavari Tribunal award referred to “all waters,” not “additional waters,” raising concerns over the legality of the project.
He urged Telangana to assert its rights for the additional 157.5 tmc ft before the Brijesh Tribunal and take legal course to protect its interests.
If Andhra Pradesh acknowledges Telangana’s water rights, the Godavari-Banakacherla link project could be considered positively, as suggested by engineering experts. Harish Rao credited former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s decade-long legal battle for extending the tribunal’s jurisdiction under the Interstate River Water Disputes Act, which now enables Telangana to claim an additional 112.5 tmc ft share along with 45 tmc ft.