Jal Shakti minister to host Telangana
HYDERABAD: Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil has convened a meeting with Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu in Delhi on Wednesday.
The meeting, scheduled for 2.30 pm, gains significance against the backdrop of renewed tensions between the two states over water sharing, particularly following Andhra Pradesh’s announcement of the Polavaram-Banakacherla project to divert 200 tmcft of Godavari water to the Penna basin via the Krishna basin.
Both chief ministers have previously expressed their willingness to resolve interstate water disputes through dialogue. However, Telangana has strongly objected to the proposed AP project, citing the lack of mandatory clearances from the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Apex Council and the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB).
It is worth noting that both the Polavaram Project Authority and the GRMB had raised concerns over the project, stating that it requires a fresh Detailed Project Report (DPR) and either a new water-sharing agreement or tribunal ruling to proceed.
