HYDERABAD: Asserting that the State government would protect Telangana’s rights over river waters, N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday claimed that construction of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project by Andhra Pradesh was halted only after Congress came to power in 2023.
Uttam Kumar Reddy made the claim during an informal chat with reporters.
He said the Telangana government was opposing the Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar Link Project (PNLP) proposed by Andhra Pradesh to divert Godavari waters.
He added that the State government had already written to the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), stating that the PNLP violates inter-state rules and added that the GRMB had endorsed Telangana’s viewpoint.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also said that stakeholder states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka also opposed the project.
Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, met senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi in Mumbai on Sunday and requested him to present effective arguments against the PNLP in the Supreme Court.
On Monday, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on the writ petition (civil) filed by Telangana against the PNLP to next Monday. The apex court also advised Telangana to approach it through a suit petition instead of a writ petition.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the State government would seek a stay on the PNLP from the Supreme Court at the next hearing, which he said he would personally attend. He further reiterated his allegation that by shifting the Palamuru–Rangareddy project intake from Jurala to Srisailam, and the Kaleshwaram project from Tummidihatti to Medigadda, the previous BRS government caused massive damage to Telangana.
Meanwhile, in Andhra Pradesh, Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu told reporters on Monday that the construction of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project was halted in 2020 during the YSRCP regime itself, and not because of any request made by Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said at a meeting on Monday that both the sibling states should understand each other and move forward in sharing river waters.
He recalled that around 6,282 tmcft of Godavari water was wasted into the sea last year.
“I have never opposed the utilisation of Godavari waters by Telangana. The Ganga–Cauvery link should be completed. Both the Telugu states should understand each other and move forward,” Naidu said.
He also mooted interlinking of all rivers within Andhra Pradesh and stated that Telangana should also utilise Godavari waters, as an average of around 3,000 tmcft is being wasted into the sea every year, according to 40-year data.