Banakacherla tangle: Telangana government to take legal recourse to restrain Andhra Pradesh from going ahead with project
Telangana urged the Centre to reject the G-B project’s pre-feasibility report, citing water concerns. The Union Minister assured no approval yet and promised Apex Council discussions
Synopsis: The Telangana government has decided to pursue legal action against Andhra Pradesh’s Godavari-Banakcharla (G-B) Link Project, calling it illegal and harmful to Telangana’s interests. Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed officials to protect the state’s water rights and expedite key projects. The move follows a recent representation by CM Revanth Reddy and the minister to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil
Telangana government has decided to legal recourse to restrain Andhra Pradesh from going ahead with the Godvaari-Banakcharla (G-B) Link Project.
Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, during a review on Wednesday at Jala Soudha, asked senior irrigation officials for protection of Telangana’s water rights and expediting key infrastructure projects.
He said GB Link Project was illegal and detrimental to the state’s interests. The minister instructed officials to immediately prepare the legal roadmap to challenge the project and ensure that Telangana’s case is strongly represented.
The review meeting gained significance in the backdrop of recent developments where Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy gave a detailed representation to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi, objecting to the G–B Link project.
Concerns over disruption of Telangana’s water allocations
During the meeting on 19 June, the Telangana delegation urged the Centre not to approve the project’s pre-feasibility report and expressed concern over its potential to disrupt Telangana’s existing water allocations and usage plans. The Union Minister assured the state leadership that no approval had yet been granted and promised to call an Apex Council meeting soon to deliberate on the issue.
Further reinforcing the state’s commitment, Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that a detailed presentation on the Godavari–Banakacherla Link project will be held at Praja Bhavan on June 30 at 3 PM, obviisously with an intent to nail what BRS “lies” on the project.
He directed the officials to update the presentation with documentation on how the project’s idea originated during the previous BRS regime, thus trying to expose the political background behind Andhra’s current move.
Uttam Kumar Reddy discussed the process of inducting two distinguished Army officers, renowned for their expertise in tunnel technology, into the Telangana Irrigation Department to oversee tunnel-related and other irrigation works in the state. These officers were recently involved in the execution of the Rohtang and Zojila tunnel projects.
General Harpal Singh, former Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, has been invited to join the Telangana Irrigation Department as an Honorary Advisor. Colonel Parikshit Mehra, an internationally acclaimed expert in tunnel technologies and construction, will be joining the department in July.
Also Read: Telangana Cabinet vows to protect state’s water rights
National Dam Safety Authority’s recommendations
Turning his attention to critical issues within Telangana, the minister reviewed the findings of the National Dam Safety Authority on the damaged barrages of Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla.
He directed officials to implement the NDSA’s recommendations without delay. He was informed by the officials that the NDSA itself had offered to work as the design consultant for restoration works. Emphasising the urgency of the situation, he demanded weekly progress reports and warned that restoration must proceed on a war-footing basis in accordance with Central Water Commission guidelines.
He also reviewed the status of other major works, including the Singur Canal, where tenders have already been called. He He asked asked officials to expedite the formalities and ensure the agreements are signed at the earliest. Regarding the Dindi project, he was briefed about the ongoing inter-linkage coordination and the post-borewell design process. He directed officials to meet the respective District Collectors to speed up land acquisition and fast-track project execution.
On the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project, officials informed the minister that proposals had been sought from several agencies, including reputed international firms. The minister insisted that a LIDAR survey be conducted, stating that while cost was not a constraint, quality and speed were paramount.
He directed officials to deploy the best manpower, equipment, infrastructure, and advanced technologies available in the country. If necessary, additional manpower must be recruited to ensure the project proceeds at a rapid pace. He further directed that SLBC works be reviewed on a daily basis.
Pending promotions and transfers within department
Addressing longstanding administrative issues, Uttam Kumar Reddy ordered immediate action on pending promotions and transfers within the department. A delegation of Assistant Executive Engineers met him during the meeting and pointed out that their promotions to the rank of Deputy Executive Engineer had been delayed for over 18 years, with 125 DEE posts currently remaining vacant. The minister assured them that all pending promotions and transfers would be completed without any further delay.
Regarding the desiltation and desedimentation of major irrigation projects, the minister noted that the Government of India had issued national guidelines and even constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee to address the issue, given that many reservoirs have lost 20–25 percent of their storage capacity. He enquired about the status of desiltation works in Nagarjuna Sagar, Nizam Sagar, and other key reservoirs. Specifically, he instructed officials to begin the desiltation process at Nagarjuna Sagar and inform the Andhra Pradesh Government about the move as a matter of formality.
He also enquired into the progress of the Devadula project’s Package-3 and gave directions to expedite the works. On the Sitarama project, he asked officials to identify ways to include additional packages within the existing budget so that progress is not stalled due to funding limitations.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)