Harish Rao slams Congress, BJP, over Banakacherla Project

Hyderabad: Former minister and senior BRS leader Harish Rao has raised an alarm over Andhra Pradesh’s Banakacherla project and accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress of neglect towards Telangana.

Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan on Saturday, October 11, he said that while the Andhra Pradesh government is moving forward with the project with Centre’s support, chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s government is “sitting silent.”

Banakacherla project has begun techno-economic appraisal

“On September 23, the Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil wrote a letter to CM Revanth, stating that the PFR (Pre-Feasibility Report) of the Banakacherla project is under techno-economic appraisal and the approval process is underway,” he said, questioning why the chief minister did not oppose it

Taking a jibe at CM Revanth, Harish Rao sarcastically asked if the former had any personal stakes. “Instead of questioning how a DPR can be based on floodwaters, something prohibited by Central Water Commission (CWC) norms, he remains silent. Are commissions or contracts involved? Does Revanth Reddy have a personal stake in this?” he remarked.

He mentioned that on September 17, the Karnataka government wrote to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, warning them that if Andhra Pradesh diverts 423 TMC from the Godavari, Karnataka will block 112 TMC of Krishna water.

He pointed out that Maharashtra has also strongly opposed the Banakacherla project, saying that if AP is allowed to proceed, it too will seek to construct projects and stop 74 TMC of Krishna water.

He said that this retaliatory action would put Telangana in a precarious situation if Andhra, Karnataka and Maharashtra decide to withhold Krishna and Godavari water.

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Harish Rao also questioned why the Union government has allowed the project to progress even though authorities like the Central Water Commission, Godavari River Management Board, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and Polavaram Project Authority had all warned against linking Polavaram to Banakacherla.

“Has the BJP succumbed to pressure from Chandrababu Naidu? Why are Union Ministers like Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay silent when Telangana’s rightful water share is being endangered?” he asked.

Andhra issues Rs 9 crore tender for Banakacharla project

Harish Rao pointed out that just the day before, the Andhra Pradesh government issued a Rs 9 crore tender for the preparation of the Banakacherla Detailed Project Report (DPR), which stated that 23,000 cusecs will be diverted through the Polavaram Right Main Canal when its actual approved capacity is only 11,500 cusecs.

He called this a blatant violation of the approved DPR and national norms.

“Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had opposed the canal’s expansion from 11,500 to 18,000, but under Revanth Reddy, the canal is being expanded to 23,000 cusecs,” he said.

He further went on to say that under the leadership of KCR, Telangana fought relentlessly for its rights and secured tribunal hearings in the Supreme Court; however, Revanth Reddy is now “offering Telangana’s rights to Chandrababu Naidu on a silver platter.”

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