Telangana to Approach Courts to Stop AP from Banakacharla Project: Uttam
On desilting and de-sedimentation of major irrigation projects in Telangana, he instructed officials to begin the desilting process at Nagarjunasagar and formally inform the Andhra Pradesh government about the move.
Hyderabad: The Telangana government will take the legal route to stop Andhra Pradesh from going ahead with the Godavari-Banakacharla link project, irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has said.
The minister, on Wednesday, said the Godavari-Banakacharla project is illegal and detrimental to Telangana’s interests, and instructed irrigation officials to prepare to approach the courts to challenge the project, and to ensure that Telangana makes a strong case to stop AP from going ahead with its plans. Uttam Kumar Reddy’s instructions came at a meeting with senior irrigation department officials to discuss issues related to Telangana’s water rights, and expediting of key irrigation projects.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also said a detailed presentation on the Godavari-Banakacharla Link project will be held at Praja Bhavan on June 30. In the backdrop of the Opposition BRS’ claim that it’s government had nothing to do with this project and the ongoing battle with the Congress government on the issue, the minister directed that the presentation be updated to include clear documentation on how the project originated during the previous BRS regime.
It may be recalled that on June 19, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, and Uttam Kumar Reddy met with Union jal shakti minister C.R. Patil in New Delhi, and strongly objected to the Godavari-Banakacharla proposal. Telangana urged the Centre at this meeting not to approve the project’s pre-feasibility report and highlighted its potential to disrupt Telangana’s existing river water allocations and usage plans. The Union minister had assured that the project was yet to be approved and had promised to call an Apex Council meeting soon to deliberate on the matter.
The irrigation minister also ordered immediate action on pending promotions and transfers within the department. A delegation of assistant executive engineers met him during the meeting and pointed out that their promotions to the rank of deputy executive engineer had been delayed for over 18 years, with 125 DEE posts currently vacant.
On desilting and de-sedimentation of major irrigation projects in Telangana, he instructed officials to begin the desilting process at Nagarjunasagar and formally inform the Andhra Pradesh government about the move.