VIJAYAWADA: Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu on Tuesday dismissed allegations from Telangana leaders regarding the Polavaram-Banakacherla project, asserting that it will not harm upstream States.
Addressing a press conference, he clarified that the project will utilise only surplus Godavari floodwater, ensuring no impact on allocated water share for upstream States like Telangana.
Making a PowerPoint presentation at the State Secretariat, he highlighted that 3,000 TMC of Godavari water flows unused into the Bay of Bengal annually, with peak flows reaching 50 lakh cusecs.
The Polavaram-Banakacherla project aims to divert this excess floodwater to the drought-prone Rayalaseema region. “We are only planning to use water that would otherwise go waste into the sea,” he asserted, reiterating that the project poses no threat to upstream States.
Responding to objections raised by Telangana Water Resources Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who recently urged the Centre to reject the project for allegedly violating the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal Award, and the AP Reorganisation Act, he called for introspection.
He pointed out that Telangana had initiated projects like Kaleshwaram, Sita Rama Sagar, Palamuru-Ranga Reddy, and Sammakka Barrage without proper clearances in the past. “Is it fair to question a project still in its initial stages when such rules were overlooked previously?” he asked.
Nimmala observed that the allegations on the proposed project are politically motivated, and urged the people of both the States to take note of it. “The argument that for Telangana projects in other river basins, Godavari waters were diverted, citing clause 4 of the GWDT Award, is also applicable to the diversion of Godavari water to other river basins in Andhra Pradesh,” he asserted.
Ramanaidu stressed the legal rights of downstream catchment areas, warning that unplanned upstream projects could adversely affect farmers in Andhra Pradesh. He clarified that the State has no intention of obstructing Telangana projects, noting that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has historically supported several initiatives in the neighbouring State.