Revanth Steps Up Legal Fight Over Godavari Diversion
The meeting focused on Telangana’s writ petition challenging the Andhra Pradesh government’s Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar (Banakacherla) expansion works.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed legal experts to intensify efforts to present robust arguments against the controversial interstate water diversion scheme, ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on Telangana’s petition challenging Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram – Nallamala Sagar Link Project (PNLP) scheduled for Monday.
In a key development, the Chief Minister, irrigation and civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, and senior officials held a special meeting in Mumbai on Sunday with senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi to finalise a strong legal strategy.
Telangana has opposed the project, arguing it violates interstate water-sharing agreements and threatens its rightful share of Godavari waters. The state government’s writ petition seeks directions to halt expansion works being undertaken by Andhra Pradesh to link Polavaram to Banakacherla or Nallamala Sagar without required permissions.
The petition also urged the Apex Court to direct the Polavaram Project Authority to stop the works immediately. Andhra Pradesh’s proposed Polavaram–Banakacharla link project aims to divert 200 TMC of Godavari water to the Krishna basin.
Revanth Reddy instructed legal experts to present strong arguments and asked irrigation officials to keep all necessary evidence ready. Telangana’s plea further contends that expansion works are illegal, objects to the Centre reviewing pre-feasibility reports without considering its objections, and seeks clear instructions to the Central Water Commission, Union ministry of water resources, and the Godavari River Water Management Board.
The petition also alleges that Andhra Pradesh is preparing a detailed project report in violation of guidelines and requests the Court to stop environmental clearances and financial assistance for the expansion projects.
