India will be unstoppable if Ganga, Cauvery interlinked: says Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu

Launching 33 new crest gates at the Tungabhadra Project in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu advocated for inter-state river linking. He warned of reduced water inflows due to El Niño and emphasized maximizing water efficiency for regional farmers

Hosepet (Karnataka): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said here in Karnataka that India will be unstoppable if the Ganga and Cauvery rivers are interlinked.

Addressing a public meeting here following the launching of 33 new crest gates for the Tungabhadra Project, Naidu observed that “rivers in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh were connected” through the Ken-Betwa project.

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“If Ganga and Cauvery rivers are interlinked in the country, then India is unstoppable,” said Naidu, observing that interlinking Godavari and Cauvery rivers will meet the needs of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Noting that sufficient inflows are not arriving in Tungabhadra and Almatti due to El Nino effect, he said water must be used frugally this year and underscored the need to interlink rivers.

According to the CM, rivers must be interlinked within the states first, followed by linking rivers in other states.

Under the leadership of Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, Naidu said the Chief Ministers of three states — Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka — deliberated on the welfare of this region’s farmers.

After the 19th gate of the Tungabhadra Dam was washed away in 2024, a stop lock gate was fixed, he said, adding that now 33 new gates have been installed.

He said the three states worked in coordination to fix the new gates and revived the Tungabhadra Dam to protect the farmers.