‘CONGRESS GOVT BETRAYING TELANGANA'S WATER INTERESTS’

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

BRS Deputy Floor Leader in the Assembly, T. Harish Rao, alleged on Sunday that the Congress government in Telangana was compromising the state's water rights by linking the proposed Godavari River interlinking project with approvals sought for the Palamuru project.

Addressing a media conference at Telangana Bhavan, Harish Rao said the Revanth Reddy government was surrendering Telangana's legitimate water entitlements secured through tribunals and years of struggle. He accused the Chief Minister of acting in the interests of Andhra Pradesh rather than safeguarding Telangana's rights.

Harish Rao said BRS had consistently opposed the Banakacherla and Nallamala Sagar proposals and fought to ensure that Telangana's share of Godavari waters was protected under tribunal awards. He alleged that after earlier proposals faced resistance, efforts were now being made to push the project under the guise of the Godavari Cauvery River Interlinking Project.

He stated that BRS had participated in multiple National Water Development Agency meetings and maintained that Telangana's pending projects requiring 968 TMC of Godavari water must receive all statutory approvals before any interlinking proposal moves forward. The party had also demanded that Telangana receive 50 percent of the diverted waters and that any interlinking route pass through Telangana via Ichampalli or Sammakka Sagar.

According to Harish Rao, the present proposal seeks to divert Godavari waters from Polavaram to Andhra Pradesh without benefiting Telangana. He claimed that the project could adversely affect Telangana's pending irrigation schemes and lead to the loss of over 200 TMC of water that would otherwise be available to the state.

The BRS leader also questioned the secrecy surrounding recent meetings on river interlinking and demanded that minutes of all discussions be made public. He alleged that Telangana's interests were not being adequately represented in negotiations.

Harish Rao criticised both the State and Central governments, accusing them of ignoring Telangana's concerns while favouring Andhra Pradesh. He urged the Telangana government to oppose the Polavaram Cauvery link, convene an all party meeting, pass an Assembly resolution and launch a united struggle to protect the state's water rights. He warned that BRS was prepared to intensify public agitation if necessary.