Telangana to move Supreme Court against Godavari–Banakacherla project

Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy informed that a detailed presentation on the Banakacherla project would be held at Praja Bhavan on June 30 at 3 PM.

Hyderabad: Amid mounting criticism over its handling of irrigation disputes with Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana government has decided to move the Supreme Court to halt the Godavari–Banakacherla Link project, which it considers detrimental to the State’s long-term water interests.

Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy described the project as illegal, warning that it could disrupt Telangana’s water allocations and usage plans. During a high-level review meeting with senior irrigation officials at Jala Soudha on Wednesday, he instructed the department to take immediate steps to safeguard the State’s water rights and accelerate pending infrastructure works.

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He asked officials to prepare a comprehensive legal strategy to challenge the Banakacherla project in the apex court and ensure Telangana’s case is presented in a robust manner. The move follows the June 19 meeting in New Delhi, where Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy urged union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil to reject the project’s pre-feasibility report, citing its potential threat to Telangana’s water security. Patil had assured them that no approvals were granted and promised to convene an Apex Council meeting to discuss the issue.

Uttam Kumar Reddy informed that a detailed presentation on the Banakacherla project would be held at Praja Bhavan on June 30 at 3 PM. As part of efforts to strengthen Telangana’s irrigation infrastructure, particularly the incomplete stretches of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel project, he announced the induction of two military officers with tunnel engineering expertise.

General Harpal Singh, former Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, will serve as an honorary advisor to the Irrigation Department, while Colonel Parikshit Mehra, who earlier worked on the Rohtang and Zojila tunnels, will join in July to oversee tunnel and other irrigation works.

Regarding repairs to the damaged Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages, the minister directed officials to implement the National Dam Safety Authority’s (NDSA) recommendations without delay. He mandated weekly progress reports and ordered that all work be executed on a war-footing, adhering strictly to Central Water Commission (CWC) guidelines.

On other key projects, Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed officials to finalise agreements related to the Singur canal, where tenders have already been floated. For the Dindi project, he urged close coordination with District Collectors to speed up land acquisition and fast-track execution.