Harish Rao slams Congress govt’s delayed Supreme Court move on Andhra’s Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link project

Former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao launched a sharp attack on the Congress government, accusing it of deliberately delaying action against the Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar project. He alleged that the Telangana government’s Supreme Court case was filed only after Andhra Pradesh floated tenders, rendering it ineffective.

Hyderabad: Former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao on Tuesday mounted a scathing attack on the Congress government, accusing it of an inordinate and suspicious delay in approaching the Supreme Court and in a manner that was ‘shallow and deceptive’ on the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link project.

Harish Rao said the Telangana government filed a case in the Supreme Court only on December 16, after the Andhra Pradesh government had already floated tenders for the Polavaram-Nallamalla Sagar project and after the December 11 deadline for submission of bids had elapsed. He alleged that the legal move was meant only to mislead the people of Telangana and create a false impression of resistance.

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Contradicting its own claim of opposing the project, the Congress government went on to constitute a committee on December 23 to resolve technical issues related to the project, a step that would fatally weaken Telangana’s case in the apex court, he said. The Centre, he argued, would easily inform the Supreme Court that the Revanth Reddy government had agreed to the project and even constituted a committee to address concerns amicably.

Laying out documents, Harish Rao said the Central Water Commission had on July 31 this year already accorded approvals for the Polavaram-Banakacherla project, which was now “repackaged” as Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar project. The permissions included those to divert 200 tmcft of Godavari waters to Andhra Pradesh. Even five months later, and despite Andhra Pradesh floating tenders, the government led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy remained either unaware or wilfully silent, he charged.

Branding Revanth Reddy a Telangana agitation traitor and a facilitator for Andhra Pradesh, Harish Rao demanded that the Chief Minister stage a dharna at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Jal Shakti Ministry or Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to oppose the clearances.

“The Bharat Rashtra Samithi will extend all support in protecting Telangana’s interest. The KCR government secured 940 tmcft River Godavari waters but the Revanth Reddy government is enabling exploitation of Telangana’s rightful share by Andhra Pradesh,” Harish Rao said at a press conference here.

He recalled that when the Centre refused to procure paddy, BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao had staged a protest in New Delhi. In contrast, even as Andhra Pradesh moved swiftly to secure approvals and float tenders, the Revanth Reddy government failed to act decisively to protect Telangana’s interests, he alleged.

The former Minister demanded that the Congress government immediately scrap the committee headed by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Adityanath Das, arguing that the appointment of Das itself exposed the government’s intent. He noted that Das had earlier served as Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Secretary and had also filed a case in the National Green Tribunal against the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme.

“Will Adityanath Das work for Telangana’s cause and ensure justice to our people? Revanth Reddy can pay Guru Dakshina to Chandrababu Naidu but not at the cost of the people of Telangana,” Harish Rao said.

Explaining the larger implications, he said the Godavari Banakacherla project was conceived to divert Godavari waters into Krishna through Polavaram. Such diversion would entitle Telangana to 45 tmcft under the Bachawat Tribunal award, besides 21 tmcft for Maharashtra and 14 tmcft for Karnataka.

After Karnataka and Maharashtra raised objections, Andhra Pradesh announced the Polavaram Nallamalla Sagar project to avoid diversion into the Krishna and instead route water to Rayalaseema through a tunnel. Despite these developments, Harish Rao said, the Telangana government remained in “deep slumber” and failed to grasp the conspiracy unfolding against the State.

Telangana was now facing a double blow, he said, losing Godavari waters through Nallamalla Sagar and forfeiting its rightful share under the Bachawat Tribunal. “Is the Telangana government turning a blind eye to these conspiracies or are Chandrababu Naidu and Revanth Reddy working in tandem? I fail to understand,” he said.

“The case in the Supreme Court will eventually become null and void. All this drama is being enacted only to mislead the people of Telangana,” Harish Rao added.

 

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