AP govt objects construction of 7 projects on Godavari by Telangana without approval

Amaravati: Apart from Krishna waters, the AP government has been fighting with the Telangana government over the rights on Godavari waters. As part of that, the AP government has filed a petition with the Godavari River Management Board by explaining that the Telangana government has been executing altogether 7 projects to a tune of 450.31 TMC capacity without furnishing the DPRs to GRMB and approval of Apex Council.

The Kaleswaram LIS, GLIS Phase 3, Sita Rama LIS, Tupakaulagudem, Telangana Drinking Water Supply Project, Barrages on Lower Penganga river and Ramappa Lake to Pakhal lake diversion schemes are under progress without permission. These projects in the Godavari basin are detrimental to the projects in lower riparian State AP, it maintained.

Adityanath Das, Special Chief Secretary, Water Resources department of AP requested the GRMB to order Telangana to stop these projects immediately which will have an adverse impact on the existing approved projects of AP at 75 per cent dependable yield on Godavari River.

He further explained that the Telangana enhanced the utilization under Kaleswaram LIS from 225 TMC to 450 TMC and Sita Rama LIS from 70 TMC to 100 TMC.

Construction of several barrages and schemes by Telangana in the reaches of below SRSP and upstream of Polavaram project in violation of AP Reorganization Act, 2014, the AP government observed. It further objected that the upper riparian state commenced these projects without any detailed studies regarding the negative impact on the availability of water as per the GWDT Award for the lower down projects.