AP likely to drop interlinking of Godavari through Telangana

Amaravati: It looks like the AP government is likely to reject the proposal to divert Godavari water to Krishna through Telangana state. Instead, it is keen on diverting Godavari water from Polavaram to Banakacherla in Kurnool district.

Principal Secretary Adityanath Das told The Hans India that "whichever is economically and hydrological more feasible would be examined for consideration."

It may be mentioned here that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and AP Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy at a luncheon meeting held recently had come up with a proposal to divert the Godavari river water to Krishna and to ensure that water reaches every nook and corner of both the States.

It was felt by KCR that scarce water was causing hardships to the Rayalaseema region in AP, Palamuru and Nalgonda in Telangana. To mitigate the hardships faced by these regions for decades together, it would be beneficial for both the states if Godavari water was diverted to Srisailam reservoir.

Following this, the opposition parties and irrigation experts in the state felt that any such move would prove to be disadvantageous for Andhra Pradesh. Later, Jagan during his visit to Delhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Jal Shakthi Gajendranath Singh Shekhawat and Home Minister Amit Shah to extend financial help to take up the project. He informed them that this would solve the water problems of both the states.

However, the government now appears to have changed its mind and feels that if the interlinking of the river water was taken up at Poalvaram and Banakacherla it would help in meeting the requirements of the Rayalaseema region as well.

The proposed Godavari Banakacherla Interlinking Project intends to divert about 210 tmc ft of Godavari Water from Polavaram dam in 105 days. It will be taken to Banakacherla Head Regulator. It also plans to construct a balancing reservoir at Bollapalle village and Mandal in Guntur district with a capacity of 150 tmc ft by lifting water from Nagarjunasagar Right Canal. It is estimated that the project would cost Rs 60,000 crore.

It may be recalled that then chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu also proposed the same project in the name of interlinking Godavari Penna with an estimated cost of Rs 80,000 crore. It is learnt that WAPCOS has now been asked to prepare the DPR and work will start after a detailed study and approval of DPR. This issue is also likely to be discussed at the Cabinet meeting to be held on Wednesday.