VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was floated to safeguard the interests of all the Telugu people, Minister for HRD, IT and Electronics Nara Lokesh has faulted leaders of Telangana for raising objections over the Polavaram - Banakacherla project for their selfish political motives.
Responding to the objections of Telangana leaders to the Banakacherla project, at a press conference at his residence in Undavalli on Thursday, Lokesh felt that some of the leaders were provoking regional differences among the Telugu people for political mileage.
“Why should there be an objection to the upper riparian State when the lower riparian State is taking up a project on Godavari?” he asked.
Reminding that the Andhra Pradesh government never objected to the Kaleshwaram project constructed by Telangana, Lokesh sought to know what is wrong with the AP government to take the surplus Godavari water from Polavaram to Banakacherla, and use it for the needs of the people of Rayalaseema.
“In fact, we are only lifting the Godavari water that is flowing waste into the sea. The Banakacherla project has been proposed in the territory of AP. In such a scenario, it is illogical by Telangana leaders to object to the irrigation project,” Lokesh observed.
Mentioning that hundreds of TMC of Godavari water is flowing waste into the sea every year, he said, “Water will be lifted to Banakacherla only when the surplus water is available in the river. If there is no surplus water in the Godavari river, lifting will be stopped altogether.”
Stating that Telangana constructed the Kaleshwaram project without any approvals, Lokesh asked, “Have we ever objected to the project as well as investments into Telangana?”
“NTR floated the TDP for the wellbeing of Telugu people. Our intention is that Telugus should be number one in the world. We will not take any water from Telangana through the Banakacherla project. It is unfair to provoke regional differences for political mileage. Should there be different sets of ethics for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana? Are we drawing Telangana water? There is no mistake in taking up the Banakacherla project,” he asserted. Lokesh felt that interlinking of rivers is very much required to end water disputes between the States.