TS apprehensive about AP’s Banakacherla project

Hyderabad: Will the construction of the ‘game changer’ Godavari Banakacherla project envisaged by the Government of Andhra Pradesh have any negative impact on Telangana? This was the doubt that was raised by the Government of Telangana during a review meeting on irrigation projects chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday. The state government has decided to ask the IIT Hyderabad to prepare the report within a month. Revanth Reddy asked the officials to conduct a study on the threat posed to the Bhadrachalam temple by the construction of Polavaram and to appoint a special officer to coordinate with the IIT Hyderabad team on the issue.He asked the officials to write a letter to the Chief Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh expressing objections and apprehensions.

He also asked them to write to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry about the Banakacherla project which is proposed to be taken up by Andhra Pradesh. The officials informed Revanth Reddy that Andhra Pradesh had not yet submitted the DPR and the project as of now has no permission from the Centre.

They said under this project AP Government would divert water from Polavaram into the Krishna river. For this, a reservoir would be constructed at Bollaplli to facilitate transfer of water which will be diverted to Banakacherla. This project will benefit not only the Rayalaseema districts but Nellore and Prakasam. The AP government had explained the project details to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry orally and would soon be submitting a detailed project report and would invite tenders soon.

They felt that without specific water allocations for both the states, if allowed, the project could cause loss to Telangana’s share of water in future.

It was hence decided to draw the attention of the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) and lodge a complaint against AP government.