VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu declared that India’s progress would be “unstoppable” if the Ganga and Cauvery rivers were interlinked.
Speaking at a public meeting in Hosapete, Karnataka after inaugurating 33 new crest gates of the Tungabhadra Dam, Naidu pointed to the successful Ken-Betwa Link Project connecting rivers in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
The Chief Minister emphasised that linking the Godavari and Cauvery rivers would serve the long-term needs of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, ensuring water security and prosperity across southern India.
The high-profile gathering, held under the chairmanship of Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, also featured Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Prior to addressing the joint public rally, the four leaders held an extensive apex-level meeting to discuss optimised water utilisation of river water, dam safety protocols, and measures to protect the irrigation and drinking water interests of riparian farmers across the three neighbouring states.
Boundaries differ, states united for ryots: Naidu
Emphasising regional cooperative federalism, Naidu noted that while administrative boundaries separate the states, they stand unified as one nation committed to agricultural welfare. The joint appearance marked the formal activation of the newly overhauled structural network of the Tungabhadra reservoir. The emergency upgrade was triggered by a major structural failure in August 2024, when Crest Gate 19 was completely washed away by heavy torrents.
Following an immediate stop-lock gate intervention to halt massive water wastage, the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka worked in seamless coordination to execute a permanent technical remediation, jointly pooling `51 crore to install the 33 brand-new crest gates.
Naidu inaugurated the newly fabricated Gate 19, while Shivakumar activated Gate 18, Patil commissioned Gate 17, and Revanth Reddy launched Gate 20.
Invoking the deep historical and cultural ethos of the region, Naidu noted that the Tungabhadra river has historically served as a natural protective shield for the ancient Vijayanagara Empire and Hampi, while anchoring iconic spiritual centres like the Virupaksha temple, the Jogulamba temple, and the Raghavendra Swamy Matha in Mantralayam.
Highlighting historical precedents of water sharing, Naidu recalled the 1983 agreement where four Chief Ministers moved past political friction to allocate 5 TMC of water each, successfully drawing an aggregate of 15 TMC of drinking water to drought-hit Chennai with the consensus of undivided Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Warning of unpredictable weather anomalies like El Niño that continue to deplete crucial inflows into southern reservoirs, the Chief Minister urged all states to adopt strict water conservation measures and execute internal river-linking channels before scaling up inter-state grid linkages. He maintained that preserving mega irrigation reservoirs—which function as the modern temples of India—remains the core collective mandate of all progressive administrations.
The summit was attended by AP Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav, Water Resources Minister Nimmla Ramanaidu, Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, alongside a host of top technocrats and public representatives from the three states.