Latest news with #Polavaram-BanakacherlaLinkProject
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
There's no concept of clearing projects based on floodwaters, says MoJS ex-Advisor
HYDERABAD There is no concept of floodwaters in the country, particularly while giving clearance to irrigation projects by various agencies implementing the river water related laws, and in case any water is referred to with that term it is only imaginary and illusionary as no project is given clearance based on floodwaters. This was stated by former Advisor to the Ministry of Jal Shakti and former Chairman of the Task Force on Interlinking of Rivers Sriram Vedire here on Tuesday. In a presentation made on river water issues, particularly on 'Godavari Waters: Facts and Figures – A Way Forward for Telugu States', he stated that surplus water is saving of water by a basin-State in its allocated share at 75% dependability. He explained that the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal had categorised the water in the basin as 'all waters, remaining waters and specific numbers (waters)' — all translated as assured water by the Central Water Commission and the agency (CWC) had assessed the availability of 3,396.9 tmc ft water at 75% dependability, average flows at 4,535.1 tmc ft and the average water above 75% dependability at 1,138.2 tmc ft. The average flows of about 3,000 tmc ft into sea for the last 57 years being cited by Andhra Pradesh, which includes the availability of 1,138.2 tmc ft flows above 75% dependability was mainly due to non-utilisation of assured water by the basin States Chhattisgarh, Telangana (both about 400 tmc ft each), Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha (to some extent) and also due to spillovers due to their limitations in the storage capacity and other operational constraints, Mr. Sriram noted. As a result, the CWC's assessment of average flows of about 1,138 tmc ft above 75% dependability would not sanctify their utilisation by any basin State as the water flowing downstream, including into sea, could not be differentiated as assured water or average water since several projects operate with varying storage capacities and with different operational protocols, the former MoJS Advisor pointed out. On A.P.'s PBLP proposal Coming to the specific and contentious issue of A.P.'s proposal to take up Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project to utilise floodwaters, he observed that if A.P. was allowed to go ahead with the project based on floodwaters for being the terminal State in the basin it would stir up a hornet's nest as every co-basin would go for new projects based on floodwaters. 'It will be an endless game if every State starts building projects using floodwaters,' he said. In case Chhattisgarh plans to utilise its share, it would have to be compensated in a different form or the Godavari-Cauvery Interlinking had to be reworked. He felt that more storage was required in the Godavari Basin for Telangana to utilise its share of water.
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Uncertainty over Naidu-Revanth meet as Telangana objects to Banakacherla in agenda
Uncertainty prevails over the scheduled meeting between the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh at the behest of Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil in New Delhi on Wednesday following strong objection raised by Telangana over the agenda fixed for the meeting — to discuss the Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project proposed by A.P. In a letter addressed to MoJS Secretary Debashree Mukherjee in response to the meeting notice, Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao mentioned that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Minister for Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar Reddy had repeatedly communicated Telangana's objections to the project proposed by A.P. They had been clearly stating that the A.P.'s proposal violates the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award as also the A.P. Reorganisation Act. It also lacks statutory clearances from the Central Water Commission, Godavari and Krishna River Management Boards and the Apex Council. The pre-feasibility report submitted by A.P. contains critical data gaps and methodological deficiencies, particularly on water availability assumptions and technical feasibility, the Chief Secretary said in his letter. Further, the expert appraisal committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forest had returned the project proposal citing violations of legal and procedural aspects and the GRMB had observed that diversion of 200 tmc ft water from Polavaram for the proposed project would change scope as well as operation schedule of the Polavaram project, which already has unresolved submergence issues in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Stating that the AP's proposal would undermine the rights of Telangana in Godavari water, he urged the MoJS Secretary to direct CWC to reject the pre-feasibility report of Banalacherla project, prevent A.P. from submitting detailed project report, stop finalising tenders and not to discuss/approve at any forum/by any agency. He also cited the objections raised by the Polavaram Project Authority, GRMB, CWC and EAC of MoEF on A.P.'s proposal. The Chief Secretary, however, welcomed the initiative of the MoJS to convene a meeting to sort out the other outstanding issues, provided the meeting agenda is revised by including the issues raised by Telangana in another letter such as clearance to Godavari Basin projects based on assured water and issues in the Krishna Basin — clearances to the projects proposed in Telangana by the erstwhile A.P.
New Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Andhra CM to meet Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman during two-day Delhi visit
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu will visit New Delhi on July 15 and 16 to meet Union Ministers and discuss critical development issues and Central funding for Andhra Pradesh. Naidu will push for pending fund releases, progress on major infrastructure projects including the proposed Polavaram- Banakacherla Link Project, and issues related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He is scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on July 15, followed by meetings with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, IT and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat, and the MD of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. Later in the evening, he will attend a memorial meeting held in honour of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao at the Prime Ministers' Museum and Library in Delhi. On July 16, the Chief Minister will continue meetings, including a key session with the Finance Ministry in the North Block and will participate in a business conference hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He is expected to return to Amaravati on the morning of July 17.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
PBLP can be thought of after completion of Polavaram with 45.72 m FRL: Project Authority
HYDERABAD The Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) has suggested to the Project Appraisal (South) Directorate in the Ministry of Jal Shakti that the proposal of Andhra Pradesh to divert 200 tmc ft of water (Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project) from Polavaram dam could be thought of after completion of the project (Polavaram) up to full reservoir level (FRL) of 45.72 meters. In the first phase of Polavaram project, it is being planned to store water up to the level of 41.15 meters and the revised cost approved by the Union Cabinet for Phase-I of the project in August 2024 is ₹30,437 crore. However, the contemplated benefits of the project in Phase-I could not be achieved due to operational constraints. In its observations on the pre feasibility report of the PBLP, the PPA stated that the proposal to divert 200 tmc ft of water is not a part of the approved detailed project report of Polavaram. The diversion of additional water from the dam is required to be studied comprehensively by the relevant organisations, taking into account available/dependable water, inter-State issues and award of tribunals to ensure all the planned benefits from the project are achieved. The PPA noted that as per the approved DPR, Polavaram Project seeks to utilise 449.78 tmc ft of Godavari water for irrigation of new ayacut, stabilising the existing ayacut in the Godavari and Krishna Deltas, domestic and industrial uses as well as water to Odisha and Chhattisgarh. However, against the approved carrying capacities of Right Main and Left Main Canals of 11,654 and 8,123 cusecs, respectively, they are being executed with 17,560 cusecs each capacity. But, the Centre is reimbursing the expenditure for the canals only as per the approved capacities. As per the approved DPR, Tadipudi canal system and the command area will become part of the Polavaram project once it is completed. The capacity of Right Main Canal requires to be 23,000 cusecs to divert 200 tmc ft of additional water in addition to linking it (RMC) to Tadipudi canal system which serves an ayacut of 83,607 hectares (nearly 2.07 lakh acres) and provides drinking water to 130 villages. Accordingly, a thorough study is needed before seeking approval for PBLP from the competent authority.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
PBLP needs revision of Polavaram project DPR as it changes scope: GRMB to CWC
HYDERABAD The Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) has observed that the diversion of an additional 200 tmc ft water from Polavaram Project planned by Andhra Pradesh through the proposed Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP) will change the scope of the project (Polavaram) and it requires the revision of the detailed project report of the Polavaram dam. In its observations on the pre-feasibility report (PFR) sent to the Central Water Commission, the river board noted that the DPR of Polavaram project was approved by the Advisory Committee of the Department of Water Resources on January 20, 2009 and the changes planned now needs to be placed before the same for approval again. 'The diversion of 2 tmc ft water per day from Polavaram dam may lead to modification of the operation schedule of Polavaram project as per the agreement of April 2, 1980 between the erstwhile States of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. Any change in the operational schedule shall be made only after consultation with the three erstwhile States', the GRMB said in its communication sent to the CWC. With regard to diversion of Godavari waters to the Krishna Basin, the river board stated that it was agreed by the States that if the diversion at 75% dependability exceeds the quantity of 80 tmc ft due to the diversion of Godavari water from Polavaram to the Krishna Basin, such excess quantity shall also be shared among the upper riparian States — erstwhile A.P. (Telangana), Karnataka and Maharashtra in the same proportion as 80 tmc ft is shared among them. Further, it suggested that the CWC may take care of the provisions of GWDT and KWDT Awards which refer to the river augmentation of Krishna with diversion of water from any other river and the State (A.P.) needs to clarify whether the proposed project (PBLP) will utilised surplus water or flood water of Godavari. The river board noted that the AP Reorganisation Act stipulates regulation of river water to the successor States having regard to awards of the tribunals. In case GWDT did not quantify the water availability in Godavari Basin and apportioned among the basin States, agreements between the co-basin States were made part of it. Thus, 'there is no apportionment of Godavari water allocated to erstwhile A.P. between the successor States by any tribunal nor any mutual agreement between them and CWC may take note of it'. The PFR mentioned that the cost estimate of the project does not include the cost of creation of infrastructure for the new ayacut of 3 lakh hectares (7,41,315 acres). But the DPR shall include all components while arriving at the total cost of the project. The river board also urged the CWC to ensure the committed utilisations of existing, ongoing and contemplated projects of both the States (Telangana, A.P.).
