T'gana CM to meet Union Jal Shakti Minister to voice objections to Andhra's river linking project

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday said he would meet Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil on June 19 to convey the state's objections to the proposed Polavaram (Godavari)-Banakacharla river linking project by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy criticised BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao for "laying the foundation" of a project that he said compromises Telangana's interests.

The Polavaram-Banakacharla link project is aimed at diverting surplus Godavari water to the drought-hit regions of Andhra Pradesh, a move Telangana argues is detrimental to its water rights.

Reddy held a meeting with MPs from all parties to gather views on finalising the state's strategy to oppose the project.

Later speaking to reporters, he said his government is in the first stage of employing the traditional approach of 'saam, daan, bhed, dand' (conciliation, concession, division and force) to challenge the project through political and legal channels.

He asked Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu not to assume that the project would receive all clearances because of his influence with the NDA government at the Centre.

The Chief Minister also told Naidu that Telangana would not object to Andhra's projects if it gave a blanket No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Telangana's projects involving about 1,000 TMC of water in Godavari and about 500 TMC of water in Krishna river.

Responding to BRS' criticism that he remained silent while Andhra Pradesh "took away" Godavari water, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said it was former CM Chandrasekhar Rao who, during a 2016 meeting of the two state Chief Ministers in Delhi, first proposed utilising the 3,000 TMC of Godavari water flowing into the sea.

"The foundation stone was laid that day. The foundation for the idea of providing water to Rayalaseema (in Andhra Pradesh) by transferring 3,000 TMC Godavari water to Krishna basin was laid that day. This is record of the minutes of that meeting," he said.

Subsequently, KCR and then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held meetings in 2019 and the transfer of water to Rayalaseema was discussed. KCR had extended cooperation over the transfer Godavari water to Rayalaseema and Penna river in Andhra Pradesh, he claimed.

Revanth Reddy asserted that the state government had swiftly complained to the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) and the Union Minister C R Patil when Naidu mooted the Banakacharla project.

Affirming that there is no negligence on the part of his government, Reddy said BRS MLA Harish Rao, a nephew of KCR, is only indulging in mud slinging by alleging that the Congress government is silent on the project.

The CM also attacked Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy for meeting C R Patil in Delhi on Wednesday itself instead of joining him on Thursday.

Earlier, during the meeting of all-party MPs, BRS MP V Ravichandra walked out when Revanth Reddy raised KCR's comments in 2016.

The all-party meeting was attended by MPs of Congress, BJP, BRS and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi.