Expert panel returns Banakacherla proposal
EAC suggests AP govt to get prior approval from CWC
Vijayawada: The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment returned the proposal of the Andhra Pradesh government for Polavaram-Banakacherla link irrigation project, saying that it can’t accord environmental clearance for the project at present.
At the same time, the committee made some suggestions including asking the AP government to request the Central Water Commission (CWC) for a complete study on Godavari surplus waters. The Telangana government alleged that the Polavaram-Banakacherla project violated the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal’s award of 1980.
It may be noted that Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu came out with the proposal of Polavaram-Banakacherla to supply Godavari surplus flood waters to Rayalaseema and made it clear that there would be no loss for Telangana as the AP government would use only Godavari surplus water which was flowing into sea. However, there was a strong protest from Telangana state which complained to the central government against the proposed project. Following the complaint, the expert committee rejected clearance for the Polavaram-Banakacherla project. The committee, which met on June 17 virtually, took into consideration both the proposals of AP government and objections from Telangana before returning the proposal to the AP government.
