Hyderabad: Telangana irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has urged the Centre to reject the proposal for Terms of Reference (ToR) sought by Andhra Pradesh government for the modified Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP).
In a letter written to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday, June 16, Reddy alleged that the AP government’s actions represented consistent violations of environmental clearances and tribunal allocations. He called them detrimental to the riparian interests, that were legally untenable.
Reddy stated that Andhra Pradesh has carried out massive deviations in both the Krishna and Godavari basins by expanding the scope of several components of the PIP, in violation of the permissions accorded by the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal Award (GWDTA), and the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).
He recalled that the Polavaram project originally received environmental clearance from the Centre on October 25, 2005. He accused the AP government of implementing extensive changes later, without obtaining fresh clearances, prompting the Union ministry to issue a ‘Stop Work Order’ on February 8, 2011.
“Although the order was issued due to the unapproved changes in the project’s scope, it was kept in abeyance and has been repeatedly extended, most recently until July 2, 2026. This allowed the project’s works to continue despite objections raised not only by Telangana, but also by Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments,” he stated.
The minister further pointed out that the Polavaram project, after being granted the ‘National Project’ status by the Centre, continued to receive the reimbursements for expenditure, though it applied only for the components that were approved under the original scope.
“Yet, the AP government has proceeded with major infrastructural modifications,” he wrote.
Uttam Kumar Reddy referred to the Supreme Court’s order dated September 6, 2022, which clearly observed that “there are some technical reports available, but more may be required depending on the expansion of the project. Similarly, the issue of the environmental clearances would also have to be addressed.”
“The Court had also suggested that the Union Jal Shakti and environment ministries play a pioneering role by convening a meeting of all the stakeholders to resolve the contentious issues,” he remarked.
In his communication, the minister alleged that AP government has gone far beyond the approved project’s parameters.
“The connectivity to draw water from the head sluice of the Polavaram Right Main Canal (PIPRMC) is now being designed for 40,000 cusecs, while the original design was for 20,000 cusecs. Twin tunnels, each with a discharge capacity of 20,000 cusecs, are under execution, and the infrastructure at the headworks has already been created accordingly,” he pointed out.
He added that the PIPRMC was being executed with a capacity to draw 17,560 cusecs, as against the 11,654 cusecs approved under the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
He stated that in a similar way, the Polavaram Left Main Canal (PIPLMC) was being constructed with a capacity to draw 17,560 cusecs, though only 8,123 cusecs were originally approved.
He stressed that these changes and the “extensive alterations in the dimensional features of the project’s components” amounted to a complete redesign of the project, undertaken without the requisite clearances or approvals.
The minister strongly urged Bhupendra Yadav not to undertake any appraisal of the AP government’s project proposal in the forthcoming meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
“In view of all the above, especially in the interest of justice, it is requested not to undertake any appraisal of this project proposal and reject the grant of ToR in the upcoming meeting of EAC,” he concluded.
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