metro india news  I hyderabad

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has launched a fierce rebuttal against Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project, labeling it illegal and vowing relentless resistance. Speaking informally with the media at the Secretariat on Saturday, Uttam condemned AP Minister Nara Lokesh’s claims, asserting they lack merit. He revealed that he personally wrote to the Centre on official letterhead, urging rejection, while the Telangana government has taken robust steps to halt the project, backed by environmental and GRMB objections.

Uttam criticized Lokesh’s bold statements, hinting at undue influence from the TDP-BJP alliance, and stressed that democratic norms prohibit unilateral water claims. He dismissed BRS accusations as publicity stunts, pointing to their past inaction on water issues as the root cause.

The Minister further accused the previous BRS government of negligence, stating that proactive measures during their tenure could have prevented this crisis. He argued that the wastage of 3,000 TMC of water into the sea, cited by BRS, was a self-inflicted issue due to poor planning. Uttam reiterated Telangana’s clear stance against the project, promising to explore legal and diplomatic channels to protect the state’s interests.

Replying to a query, Uttam said if needed he will think of plans to engage irrigation ministers from other co-basin states to build a united front against AP’s ambitions. He intends to rally co-basin states against AP’s contentious project, emphasizing shared water rights. Uttam emphasized that flood waters belong to all riparian states equally, rejecting AP’s exclusive claims. Additionally, he urged the public to stay vigilant, assuring that Telangana is prepared for any level of struggle to safeguard its water resources and environmental balance.