Telangana objects to Centre asking A.P. to submit DPR of Banakacherla project by month-end

Minister for Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar Reddy. File
| Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G

HYDERABAD

The Telangana government has strongly opposed the Centre’s move asking the Andhra Pradesh government to submit the detailed project report (DPR) of the Polavaram-Banakacherla Link project proposed by the latter, despite it contravening the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act (APRA) and the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT).

In a letter addressed to Jal Shakti Minister (MoJS) C.R. Patil on the issue on June 13, Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Centre’s move would adversely impact the riparian rights of Telangana within the basin as the A.P. was planning to divert 200 tmc ft Godavari water to the non-basin areas of Krishna and Penna.

In a response to a letter addressed to Mr. Patil and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama on January 22 on the Banakacherla project, the MoJS had replied on May 28, which he (Uttam) received in the first week of June, stating that A.P. did not send any DPR to the Central Water Commission (CWC). Accordingly, a meeting was convened here on June 12 on the project and later postponed to discuss it as part of the interlinking of rivers project in New Delhi.

Recently, the CWC had stated that it had received a pre-feasibility report on the project, Mr. Uttam Reddy said. The Minister told The Hindu on Saturday that a meeting was held by MoJS on June 2 and was attended by A.P. officials. When enquired by the Telangana officials, the CWC officials informed that the pre-feasibility report (PFR) of A.P. was under active consideration. In the same meeting, a Ministry of Finance official had asked the A.P. officials to submit the DPR by June-end.

“Usually, the DPR of any project/scheme by any State could be submitted to the CWC only when the underlying PFR is initially approved by the agency (CWC). Does the Centre asking A.P. to submit the DPR mean that the PFR of the project is deemed to have been approved by the CWC? We strongly object to the Centre asking A.P. to submit the DPR of the Banakacherla project,” Mr. Uttam Reddy said.

He made it clear that the proposed project had no assured water allocation by the GWDT. “It’s a matter of grave concern to Telangana as the MoJS has asked A.P .to submit the DPR of Banakacherla project by June-end, and it technically implies that the PFR of the project is deemed to have been approved,” the Irrigation Minister of Telangana said.

Mr. Uttam Reddy requested Mr. Patil to direct the CWC to reject the PFR of the Banakacherla project, presently under review by the CWC and also prevent A.P. from taking up any further action, including calling for and awarding tenders.