Harish Rao alleges GRMB agenda seeks to undermine Telangana water interests

Hyderabad, August 16: BRS deputy floor leader and former Minister T. Harish Rao on Wednesday alleged that the agenda for the upcoming Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) meeting, scheduled to be held in Hyderabad on August 18, reflects an attempt to undermine Telangana's water interests. He also accused the Congress government of maintaining a 'conspicuous silence' on the issue and demanded an immediate response.

Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, Mr. Rao said the GRMB meeting includes proposals from Andhra Pradesh seeking a review of approvals granted to several major irrigation projects in Telangana. He demanded that the proposals relating to Telangana projects be dropped from the agenda. The BRS leader asserted that his party would oppose any attempt to curtail the State's water rights and warned of a large-scale agitation if necessary to protect Telangana's share of river waters.

Mr. Rao listed projects that Andhra Pradesh had reportedly sought to review or suspend approvals for, including Kaleshwaram, Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme, Chinna Kaleshwaram, Chanaka-Korata, Modikunta Vagu, Kadem Gudem Lift, and Choutuppalli Hanumantha Rao projects. He also claimed that Andhra Pradesh had raised objections to clearances granted for the proposed Sammakka Barrage (Tupakulagudem).

Questioning the rationale behind revisiting approvals already granted by central agencies, Mr. Rao said the previous K. Chandrasekhar Rao-led government had secured permissions for utilisation of 383 tmc ft of Godavari waters, while the present government had failed to obtain approvals for any additional allocations. He argued that projects approved by the Technical Advisory Committee after scrutiny by various Central government departments could not be arbitrarily reviewed or cancelled.

The BRS leader also criticised the State government over what he described as poor utilisation of Godavari and Krishna waters. He alleged that the Congress government was not effectively lifting available water from the Godavari River.

Mr. Rao expressed concern over Andhra Pradesh's reported contention that Telangana did not have a 968 tmc ft allocation from the Godavari river. He said the allocation was reflected in submissions made during the State bifurcation process and had also been recorded in the proceedings of an earlier GRMB meeting.

Seeking clarification from Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Mr. Rao alleged that the government was not adequately safeguarding Telangana's interests. He also called upon Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar to state their stand on the issue.

The GRMB, a statutory body constituted under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, oversees the management of Godavari river waters between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Its meetings are held periodically to address operational and allocation issues. The upcoming meeting in Hyderabad is expected to take up the agenda items flagged by the BRS leader.