The Minister of Water Resources Andhra Pradesh Nimmal explains Ramanaid on Tuesday, on Tuesday, the Banakacherla project at a media conference at Secretarate.
Minister of Water Resources Andhra Pradesh Nimmal Ramanaidu refuted the accusation surrounding the GODAVARI-BANAKACHERLA project and described them as “politically motivated attacks” powered by Telangane inner dynamics rather than legitimate technical fears.
Ramanaida, who addressed the media at the Secretariat on Tuesday, said some political elements in Telangana use this project as a tool to earn brownie points.
“Criticism is not based on facts or technical details. The accusations occur only for the political number of mileage,” he said, saying that Andhra Pradesh has followed all legal and procedural standards for project.
Colossal waste
“The project focuses on the use of 200 TMC FT from the 3,000 TMC FT Flood Water Godavari, which is wasting into the sea every year. For more than 50 years, Lakhs Cusec is released into the Gulf of Bengal. The project focuses on production use,” he said.
The project was structured in three segments – Polavaram on Prakasam Barrage; Prakasam Barge on Bollapalli Reservoir and Bollapalli to Banakacherly, he said. “The preliminary report has already been submitted to the Water Commission (CWC) and the detailed report of the project (DPR) will be submitted as soon as the preliminary report is approved,” Ramanaida said.
Ramanaida, who faced accusations of the “water robbery” of Telangana leaders, said, “Andhra Pradesh uses only the excess flood water flowing into Andhra Pradesh,” is based on the needs of the upper coastal states. As a lower state of the coast, such as our rights.
“Even in the years of low rainfall, up to 3,000 to 7,000 TMC FT watercourses into the ocean. This is a national waste and we are trying to correct it with a scientific and legal approach,” the Minister said.
“Double Standards”
Ramanaidu accused the Thelangany government of adopting double standards on this matter and pointed out that several projects, including projects initiated by the former main minister K. Chandrašekar Raem (KCR), had no proper environmental or technical permits. “The Sitarama lift scheme has received a formal permit recently after 75% of the project’s completion,” he said.
Several irrigation projects in Telangana started or completed without proper permission. “Projects that are almost complete is still lacking in formal approval. Nevertheless, they raise objections concerning our DPR, which is submitted according to proper processes,” he said.
“Andhra Pradesh does not intend to block the Telelangany projects. The main Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has never supported such obstruction. We want cooperative federalism between two Teluga,” he explained.
Published – June 17, 2025 20:57
