R’seema project halted only after Cong came to power: Uttam

Hyderabad: Asserting that the State Government will protect Telangana’s rights over river waters, Minister for Irrigation N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday claimed that construction of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project by Andhra Pradesh was halted only after Congress came to power in 2023.

Uttam Kumar Reddy made the claim during an informal chat with reporters.

He said the Telangana Government was opposing the Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar Link Project (PNLP) proposed by Andhra Pradesh to divert Godavari waters.

He added that the State Government had already written to the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), stating that the PNLP violates inter-state rules and added that the GRMB had endorsed Telangana’s viewpoint.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also said that stakeholder states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka also opposed the project.

Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, met senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi in Mumbai on Sunday and requested him to present effective arguments against the PNLP in the Supreme Court.

On Monday, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on the writ petition (civil) filed by Telangana against the PNLP to next Monday. The apex court also advised Telangana to approach it through a suit petition instead of a writ petition.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said the State government would seek a stay on the PNLP from the Supreme Court at the next hearing, which he said he would personally attend. He further reiterated his allegation that by shifting the Palamuru–Rangareddy project intake from Jurala to Srisailam, and the Kaleshwaram project from Tummidi Hatti to Medigadda, the previous BRS government caused massive damage to Telangana.