Telangana urges Centre to reject Andhra's Godavari-Bankacharla link PFR

Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has urged the Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil to direct the Central Water Commission (CWC) to reject the Pre Feasibility Report (PFR) submitted by Andhra Pradesh for the Godavari-Bankacharla (G-B) link scheme.

In a letter dated June 13 to the Union Minister, Reddy claimed that the proposed scheme violates the GWDT (Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal) Award of 1980 as well as the AP Reorganization Act, 2014.

He also noted that during a recent meeting held by the central government officials earlier this month, a senior official of the Jal Shakti Ministry had stated that the PFR is under active consideration of CWC.

In the meeting, a Finance Ministry official had asked the Andhra government to submit the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the scheme by end of June.

Reddy pointed out that the G-B link scheme lacks any assured water allocation to Andhra under GWDT award. In such cases, CWC usually rejects PFR's submitted by any state government and does not call for submission of DPR.

So, it is a matter of grave concern to the Telangana government that the Andhra government is asked by the union government officials to submit the DPR of Godavari-Banakacharla link which technically implies that the underlying PFR of this scheme is deemed to have been approved, he said.

"In view of the above, it is humbly requested that you direct CWC to reject the PFR of this scheme that is presently under review by CWC and also initiate necessary action to prevent the Government of Andhra Pradesh from submitting the DPR of this scheme to CWC and also prevent AP from taking up any further action, including calling and awarding tenders," the irrigation minister said.

Meanwhile, BRS MLA T Harish Rao alleged that the G-B link scheme undermines Telangana's rightful share of Godavari river water and accused the Congress government of failing to take adequate steps to prevent the neighbouring state from going ahead with the project.

Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy dismissed the MLA's claims as "baseless and misleading".

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had earlier said the Polavaram (Godavari)-Banakacherla project is aimed at taking surplus Godavari waters to the drought-hit regions of Andhra.

Reacting to BRS party's concerns over irrigation projects in Andhra Pradesh, Naidu had highlighted that the neighbouring state need not worry as only excess water from the Godavari river will be utilised, which otherwise would drain into the sea.