Get approvals for pending projects: Harish to Kishan

Hyderabad: Former minister T Harish Rao on Monday wrote a letter to Union Minister Kishan Reddy, urging him to expedite approvals for pending irrigation projects in Telangana and address concerns over the Godavari-Banakacharla Link Project.

Rao in the letter, brought to the notice of the Union Minister the announcement of the AP government of the link project, a massive undertaking estimated at Rs 80,000 crore, aimed at diverting 200 tmcft from the Godavari to the Penna Basin through the Banakacharla Regulator Complex. Reports suggest that AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu wrote two letters to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking financial assistance for the project. It’s also reported that the Union Government asked the Godavari River Management Board for project details, which indicates that the requests were being considered.

Rao said the project raised serious concerns among irrigation experts in Telangana, who believe it could jeopardise State’s rightful share of the Godavari waters. As per the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, any new project on inter-State rivers requires approvals from the relevant river management boards and the Apex Council. However, AP seems to have bypassed the rules, proceeding unilaterally without consulting Telangana or seeking the necessary clearances.

In the past the Godavari Tribunal allocated 1,480 tmcft to erstwhile AP, of which 968 tmcf was designated for various projects in Telangana. Unfortunately, due to delays in project execution during the undivided Sstate, Telangana could utilize only around 200 tmcft. As you know, the demand for adequate irrigation facilities was one of the driving forces behind Telangana’s statehood movement.