Telangana-AP faceoff stokes debate on Godavari-Krishna linking: State opposes Polavaram–Banakacherla diversion; backs revival of Itchampally–Nagarjuna Sagar route
HYDERABAD: The long-dormant debate over linking the Godavari and Krishna rivers has flared up again, triggered by Andhra Pradesh's renewed push for the Polavaram-Banakacherla irrigation scheme.
Telangana, which has strongly opposed the plan, sees it as a unilateral move that undermines regional water-sharing balance.
In response, chief minister A Revanth Reddy has offered to reopen talks on the Itchampally-Nagarjuna Sagar (Godavari-Krishna) linkage, provided AP withdraws the Banakacherla proposal.
Officials pointed out that multiple Godavari-Krishna interlinking proposals have been floated over the past several years.
In 2019, the then BRS govt proposed a Polavaram-Srisailam link, while the Centre came up with an ambitious plan to connect the Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, and Cauvery rivers through a mega inter-basin transfer originating at Itchampally in Telangana.
A task force on river interlinking is currently reviewing the Central proposal, with a meeting expected soon. However, Telangana has objected to the project, stating that no water diversion should occur until its existing and future irrigation needs are fully met.
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'Cooperation is key'
Irrigation engineers have underscored the importance of cooperation, especially in light of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal's recommendation allowing Karnataka to raise the Alamatti dam height by 5 metres. This could reduce Krishna water availability downstream.
To offset the impact, experts suggest diverting 3-4 tmc ft of Godavari water to Krishna for at least 100 days each year.
The Telangana Retired Engineers Association (TREA), which had submitted interlinking proposals to the previous BRS govt, maintains that the most practical and mutually beneficial route is the Polavaram-to-Srisailam corridor via the river itself.
This option, they say, is both cost-effective and avoids large-scale land acquisition.
"There were three rounds of discussions between irrigation engineers from Telangana and AP in 2019 to explore Godavari water diversion to Krishna. It would benefit Telangana's Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts and Rayalaseema in AP," said TREA president M Shyamprasad Reddy.
He added that the proposed 20,000 crore project would route water from Polavaram through Prakasam barrage, Vaikuntapuram, Pulichintala dam, Nagarjuna Sagar tail pond, and finally to Srisailam using reversible turbines.
The proposal was sidelined after the former YSRCP govt unilaterally announced the Banakacherla scheme, Reddy said. He urged both states to revive the original plan.
Telangana govt opposes project
Telangana has opposed not only AP's Banakacherla project but also the Centre's Godavari-Cauvery river link. "There are already two irrigation projects on either side of the proposed Itchampally site. One of them, the Sammakka-Sarakka project, has been completed. The state govt has conveyed to the Centre that the project site should be relocated ," said the engineer-in-chief of the irrigation department.
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