Harish Rao questions Revanth Reddy’s silence on Polavaram-Banakacherla link

BRS leader T Harish Rao accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the BJP-led Centre of betraying Telangana’s water interests by supporting Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, warning that it would deprive the State of its rightful Krishna and Godavari water shares

Hyderabad: Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the BJP-led Centre for betraying Telangana’s water interests, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former Minister T Harish Rao on Saturday accused them of extending support to Andhra Pradesh (AP) on the controversial Polavaram-Banakacherla link project.

Addressing a news conference at Telangana Bhavan, he questioned Revanth Reddy’s silence over the Union Jal Shakti Minister’s letter stating that AP’s feasibility report on the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project was under examination.

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Harish Rao highlighted recent claims from Maharashtra and Karnataka over flood waters, saying that Telangana’s water share was at grave risk.

“Maharashtra has made it clear that it wants to construct projects utilising flood water to quench the thirst of the Marathwada region if the Centre allows it. Karnataka has also stated in a recent letter to the Minister of Jal Shakti that it would retain 112 TMC of Krishna water additionally. AP is eyeing Godavari waters through Banakacherla. This will be a double whammy depriving Telangana of its entitlements,” Rao said, waving copies of the correspondence.

He questioned the BJP’s stance, pointing out that despite eight BJP MPs from Telangana, the party had remained silent as the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project was being pushed forward under dubious pretexts.

“How can the BJP government claim that the Banakacherla project feasibility report was under examination? What are the MPs from the State doing? The Central Water Commission (CWC) guidelines are being twisted to define ‘flood water’ in ways that allow diversion. There is no rule in India permitting any Detailed Project Report (DPR) based solely on flood waters. This is illegal, and the Environment Ministry had already rejected clearances for such environmentally disastrous plans,” Harish Rao asserted.

“Revanth Reddy has no loyalty to this State. He initially announced that he would not attend the meeting on Godavari waters convened by the Minister for Jal Shakti in Delhi, but the next morning, he boarded a flight and joined it. Why the flip-flop? Copies of the meeting agenda were made public by the BRS, which established that the Banakacherla link project was on the agenda. Yet, Revanth claimed that nothing of that sort was discussed. AP’s Irrigation Minister had also stated openly that the Polavaram-Banakacherla project was the main issue on the agenda of the Delhi meeting attended by the Chief Ministers of both States and that a committee would be constituted to push it forward. Why are you silent on the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, Mr Chief Minister?” he questioned.

“AP has already called tenders to prepare DPRs for the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project. If this proceeds, Telangana will lose not just surplus water but even its assured Krishna and Godavari shares. It amounts to handing over our lifeline on a platter,” he said, recalling the relentless efforts made by former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, noting that he “moved from pillar to post to safeguard the State’s entitlement to river waters and had the KWDT-II entrusted with the task of water sharing.”

Revanth Reddy has so far made 55 trips to Delhi, besides numerous visits to Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. “I thought he would at least request Karnataka leaders during his recent visit to Bengaluru to stop their move to raise the Almatti dam height. He has also failed to involve even Rahul Gandhi to call Karnataka Irrigation Minister Shivakumar and get the move to raise the Almatti dam height stopped. If you cannot prevail upon the Centre, move the Supreme Court to safeguard the interests of Telangana,” he said.

“Had there been BRS MPs in Lok Sabha, the situation would have been different. The BJP will eventually be at a loss. Telangana’s people will not forget this betrayal,” he asserted.