Telangana has consistently opposed Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar project, says Uttam Reddy

Hyderabad: The state govt has consistently opposed the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link project in all forums, irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said."The Telangana govt has written to the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), Polavaram Project Authority, Central Water Commission, Union ministry of environment & forest, and the ministry of Jal Shakti, arguing that the project violates inter-state water-sharing agreements, including a 1980 Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award. All of them agree with our viewpoint," the minister told mediapersons in an informal chat on Monday. He criticised the previous BRS govt for mishandling water resources and causing significant losses to the state. He reiterated the Congress govt's firm stand against the plans of the Andhra Pradesh govt to divert Godavari floodwaters through the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link project, and highlighted the ongoing legal battles to halt it.Uttam clarified that the letter referenced by BRS leader T Harish Rao Rao on the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link project was an internal communication between the directorates of CWC, and not an approval of the project by the CWC as claimed. Apart from the Telangana govt, both Maharashtra and Karnataka are also voicing strong objections to the project, he added.To strengthen its case, the govt has asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi to present robust arguments in the Supreme Court. The apex court has adjourned the hearing to next Monday, advising the petitioners to file a suit petition rather than a writ petition. "We will again seek a stay order from the Supreme Court next Monday," the minister said, adding that he is planning to attend the next hearing in person.He also mentioned scheduling another meeting with lawyers in the coming days to refine their strategy. Shifting focus to the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) in Andhra Pradesh, Uttam said chief minister Revanth Reddy and the state govt were instrumental in stopping RLIS work. "The RLIS works were stopped only after the Congress govt came to power in Telangana," he said.