01-08-2025
Andhra Minister claims Telangana's Kaleswaram project began without Centre nod
As the water-sharing tussle between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana intensifies, Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh has made a big claim about the origins of the Kaleswaram project in a post on X, the TDP leader said the Telangana government began work on the Kaleswaram project during its previous term without seeking approval from the Centre.'The Telugu Desam Party never objected to the construction of the upstream Kaleswaram project on the Godavari. Though the Telangana government started work without central approval, we didn't write a single letter against it, because the Telugu community would benefit,' Lokesh said.
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The Kaleshwaram irrigation project, built during the previous BRS regime at a cost of over Rs 1 lakh crore, came under scrutiny following structural issues, including the reported sinking of piers at the Medigadda barrage.'The Banakacherla project utilises only a small portion of the excess floodwaters of the Godavari, which otherwise drain into the sea. This project will benefit the Telugu community and everyone should support it,' Lokesh the ongoing row over the Banakacherla–Polavaram linkage, Lokesh urged political parties in both states to support the project, calling it beneficial for all Telugu also accused political parties of creating rifts between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by fuelling regional disputes. Calling for unity, he said the Telugu Desam Party has always stood for the interests of Telugu people across both project, which forms part of a larger river interlinking plan, has drawn sharp criticism from Telangana over its potential impact on interstate water-sharing Jul 28, the Centre told Parliament that no construction had started yet on the Banakacherla–Polavaram project. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said the Andhra Pradesh government had submitted only a Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) for the project.'As informed by the GoAP, the work pertaining to the Polavaram–Banakacherla Link Project has not yet been taken up,' the minister whether the Centre would issue a stop-work order in light of Telangana's objections, the minister said the question does not arise at this stage. He also acknowledged receiving representations from the Telangana government and said that the project is currently undergoing a techno-economic appraisal by the Central Water Commission in consultation with all concerned authorities and co-basin states.- EndsTune InMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh#Telangana
