Telangana's allegations on Godavari-Banakacherla project are politically motivated, says Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Ramanaidu

The Hindu

19 hours ago

Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu has refuted the allegations surrounding the Godavari-Banakacherla project, describing them as 'politically motivated attacks' driven by Telangana's internal dynamics rather than legitimate technical concerns.
Addressing the media at the Secretariat on Tuesday, Mr. Ramanaidu said certain political elements in Telangana were using the project as a tool to score brownie points.
'The criticisms are not based on facts or technical details. Allegations are being made solely for political mileage,' he said, asserting that the Andhra Pradesh government was following all legal and procedural norms for the project's implementation.
Colossal wastage
'The project is aimed at utilising 200 tmc ft of the 3,000 tmc ft of the Godavari floodwaters that go waste into the sea every year. For over 50 years, lakhs of cusecs have been draining into the Bay of Bengal. The project aims at putting those resources to productive use,' he asserted.
The project had been structured in three segments — Polavaram to Prakasam Barrage; Prakasam Barrage to Bollapalli Reservoir, and Bollapalli to Banakacherla, he said. 'A preliminary report has already been submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC), and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be submitted once the preliminary report is approved,' Mr. Ramanaidu said.
Countering accusations of 'water robbery' made by the Telangana leaders, Mr. Ramanaidu said, 'Andhra Pradesh is using only the surplus floodwaters that flow into Andhra Pradesh after the needs of the upper riparian States are met. As a lower riparian State, we are only claiming what is rightfully ours. No other State is being harmed,' he insisted.
'Even in the years of low rainfall, as much as 3,000 to 7,000 tmc ft of water flows unused into the ocean. This is national wastage, and we're trying to correct it with a scientific and lawful approach,' the Minister said.
'Double standards'
Accusing the Telangana Government of adopting double standards on the issue, Mr. Ramanaidu pointed out that several projects, including those initiated by former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), did not have proper environmental or technical clearances. 'The Sitarama Lift Scheme received formal permission recently after completion of 75% of the project's work,' he observed.
Several irrigation projects in Telangana had been initiated, or completed, without proper clearances, he alleged. 'Projects that are nearly complete still lack formal approval. Yet, they raise objections about our DPR, which is being submitted as per due process,' he said.
'Andhra Pradesh has no intention of blocking Telangana's projects. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has never supported such obstructionism. We want cooperative federalism between the two Telugu States,' he made it clear.