Revanth Reddy called for a study on the threat the Polavaram project poses to Bhadrachalam temple. Officials warned the chief minister of flood risks, recalling the Godavari’s devastating 27 lakh cusec flow in 2022
Published Jan 04, 2025 | 7:32 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 04, 2025 | 7:32 PM
Godavari flood water at the Polavaram spillway. (Screengrab/ MEIL group/ X)
With the Andhra Pradesh government fast-tracking the Polavaram Project and the Banakacharla Reservoir under the Srisailam Right Branch Canal project, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on 4 January, directed officials to assess the potential impact on Telangana.
He instructed the irrigation department to submit a report on the project’s effects within a month, with the impact assessment conducted by a team from IIT-Hyderabad. Reddy also requested the appointment of a special officer to coordinate with the IIT-Hyderabad team.
Revanth Reddy wanted a comprehensive study done on the threat the construction of the Polavaram project would pose to the famous Bhadrachalam temple. The officials briefed the chief minister that Polavaram always posed the danger of inundation of Bhadrachalam town and reminded him of the havoc that Godavari river had caused when the flood flow touched a record 27 lakh cusecs in 2022.
The officials also submitted to the chief minister, that the Banakacharla Reservoir in Nandyal district being taken up by the Andhra Pradesh State government would hurt Telangana’s interests. The project is expected to utilise flood waters of the Krishna river, but it has not obtained any permissions yet.
Revanth Reddy instructed the officials to lodge the Telangana government’s objections with the Andhra Pradesh government’s chief secretary against the project. He also wanted irrigation officials to write to the Godavari River Management Board as well as the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, if necessary, to protect the interests of the Telangana state.
In 2020, when the Godavari River swelled, the backwaters of the Polavaram project caused flooding in Bhadrachalam and nearby areas, raising concerns about similar disasters if the project is completed. While Polavaram may serve as a lifeline for Andhra Pradesh, it poses a grave risk to Telangana during floods.
Officials fear that up to 90 villages, along with Bhadrachalam town, could face inundation. The Central Government’s heavy water plant in Manuguru and ITC’s Bhadrachalam facility are also at risk. Both the Atomic Energy Department and ITC had previously written to the Polavaram Project Authority, highlighting the severe threats they could face from the project.
When Revanth Reddy raised concerns about the Banakacharla reservoir, he was highlighting its role in the Andhra Pradesh government’s ambitious river interlinking project, which aims to connect the Godavari, Krishna, and Penna rivers.
A few days earlier, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had revealed the details of this interlinking plan during a press conference in Amaravati. The project, estimated to cost ₹80,112 crore, aims to supply drinking water to 8 million people and extend irrigation to an additional 7.5 lakh acres of land.
The project involves diverting Godavari waters from the Polavaram project to the Krishna River (₹13,511 crore), constructing the Bollapalli reservoir (₹28,560 crore) to store the water, and then transferring it to Banakacharla in Nandyal district (₹38,041 crore). From there, the water will flow to the Penna River, irrigating arid lands in Rayalaseema. Naidu described the project as a “game changer,” promising to provide much-needed irrigation and drinking water to underserved regions.
The Andhra Pradesh government is trying to come up with a detailed project report in about three months. Naidu broached the subject with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman on 15 November, 2024, in Delhi and explained the need for centre’s hand-holding for taking up the project. He explained to her how the project would transform Rayalaseema region and rev up the state’s economy.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
