Hyderabad: Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday, December 31, asserted that the government here has “robustly” defended the state’s irrigation interests in the ongoing water dispute with Andhra Pradesh over the proposed diversion of Godavari water through expansions related to the Polavaram project.
The Telangana Irrigation minister was referring to AP’s Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP), which has been now repackaged as the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar Link Project (PNLP). “Telangana has consistently maintained that these projects violate the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award of 1980, CWC- TAC clearance accorded for Polavaram Irrigation project , the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014, and Central Water Commission (CWC) guidelines,” said Uttam Kumar.
Stating that these schemes seek to divert up to 200 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Godavari floodwaters to AP, Uttam Kumar asserted that it goes beyond the originally approved 80 TMC diversion to the Krishna basin and encroach on flood waters that remain unallocated.
“Upon learning of Andhra Pradesh’s plans, strong correspondence was initiated, including letters on January 22, 2025, to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), and further on June 13 and 16, 2025, to MoJS and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), urging rejection of appraisals due to violations,” he said in a press release.
Outlining the Telangana government’s detailed action on this issue, Uttam Kumar added these interventions directly led to the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the central government also intervening in the issue.
Refuting opposition claims of inaction, the Telangana Irrigation minister said, “We are fully committed to protecting the water rights of Telangana State. Our swift objections resulted in the EAC’s rejection earlier this year, and the Supreme Court filing ensures an early hearing to prevent Andhra Pradesh from proceeding unilaterally.” He added that floodwaters remain unallocated and must involve consultations by both the states.
