TG Tells Jal Shakti Ministry Not To Allow AP's Banakacharla Project

In a detailed response to AP’s pre-feasibility report (PFR) of the project, on which Telangana’s views were sought by the ministry, Telangana has said the P-B link project was in violation various provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award, Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) and environmental clearances.

In a letter to the ministry, Telangana principal secretary, irrigation, Rahul Bojja, recalled that Telangana had asked the jal shakti minister to reject AP’s PFR, and recalled how the ministry of environment and forests had returned the document.

Telangana’s letter, dated July 23, said that AP’s claim that the Banakacharla project seeks to stabilise the existing 9.1 lakh hectares ayacut, and add another 3 lakh acres of ayacut is not valid as the ayacut that AP is talking about does not come under the Godavari river basin and instead falls in the Krishna and Pennar river basins.Telangana stated that under the GWDT award, there was no clause for allocating floodwater between basin states.

The Telangana letter also said that largescale diversion of water to outside of the Krishna basin by AP had turned the river’s basin into a deficit region. The Banakacharla plan by AP seeks to divert Godavari water to other basins via the Krishna basin without supplementing the Krishna basin which contravenes the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-I award too, the letter said.

As far as inter-state issues were concerned, Telangana’s top irrigation official said the P-B link project in addition to infringing on Telangana's water rights would also create “adverse back water and cascading submergence… on either side of Godavari due to flash floods.”

Bojja, in his letter also shot down AP’s claim that it would use flood waters going waste through the project. He said that AP’s claim that it being the lowest riparian state had the rights for undertaking such a scheme, “is nothing but distortion of facts.”

Bojja contended: “The proposal envisages diverting the ‘flood flows’,” but as per the GWDT award, there is “no clause allocating flood waters among the basin states.”

Telangana doubles down

Telangana’s letter to the Centre on AP’s Banakacharla project says:

The Banakacharla project makes Polavaram project a part of the scheme

The new scheme alters original Polavaram project’s parameters

AP’s claim that the AP Reorganisation Act says “consent for Polavaram irrigation project shall be deemed to have been given by successor state of Telangana” is not applicable

Godavari tribunal award makes it clear that any change of water level at Polavaram project must have consent of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha.

This shows AP’s claim that the Banakacharla project is as per GWDT award is incorrect

Polavaram project allowed to use 449.78 tmc ft of water.

Adding Banakacharla link will mean it will use 650 tmc ft.

This changes scope of Polavaram project, and impacts operational protocols between AP, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha. This requires a detailed study