The Telangana delegation told the Union Minister that the project not only undermines the state’s interests but also violates the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award of 1980 and provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Published Jun 19, 2025 | 7:51 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 19, 2025 | 7:51 PM
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, along with Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, met CR Patil on Thursday at Shram Shakti Bhawan in New Delhi.
Synopsis: The Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil has assured Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy that he will convene an Apex Council meeting to resolve the dispute between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the Godavari–Bhanakacherla (G-B Link) project. The project has escalated tensions between the two states, with Telangana calling for its immediate halt.
Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil has assured Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy that he will convene a meeting of the Apex Council, inviting the chief ministers of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to address the dispute over the Godavari-Bhanakacherla (G-B Link) project.
Revanth Reddy, along with Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, met Patil on Thursday, 19 June, at Shram Shakti Bhawan in New Delhi, urging the Centre to immediately halt the G-B Link project.
The meeting was also attended by Jal Shakti Secretary Debashree Mukherjee, Telangana Irrigation Advisor Adityanath Das, Chief Minister’s Secretary Manick Raj, Irrigation Special Secretary Prashant Jeevan Patil, and Central Sponsored Projects Coordinator Dr Gaurav Uppal, among others.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “The Union Minister’s response was positive,” and noted that the Centre had not yet received Andhra Pradesh’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Bhanakacherla.
The Telangana delegation argued that the project not only undermines the state’s interests but also violates the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award of 1980 and provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
They also accused Andhra Pradesh of bypassing legal processes and called for urgent central intervention.
The G-B Link project, proposed by Andhra Pradesh, has sparked unease among Telangana’s farmers and residents, who fear diversion of vital water resources.
కేంద్ర జలశక్తి మంత్రి శ్రీ సీ.ఆర్ పాటిల్ ను కలిశాను. ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ ప్రతిపాదించిన బనకచర్ల ప్రాజెక్టుకు అనుమతులు ఇవ్వవద్దని కోరాను. ఆ ప్రాజెక్టు తెలంగాణ హక్కులకు భంగం కలిగిస్తుందని వివరించాను.
జీడబ్ల్యూడీటీ, రాష్ట్ర పునర్విభజన చట్టానికి విరుద్దంగా ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ వ్యవహరిస్తోందని… pic.twitter.com/f7AyE1ZwDd
— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) June 19, 2025
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy told the Union Minister that Andhra Pradesh had not consulted the Godavari River Management Board, the Central Water Commission (CWC), or the Apex Council – bodies whose consultation is mandatory before undertaking such projects.
He urged the Centre to step in and stop the project.
The delegation also conveyed public dissatisfaction over the Union Finance and Environment Ministries’ handling of clearances for Bhanakacherla, saying the approvals had caused anxiety among farmers.
They further flagged alleged violations by Andhra Pradesh, including design changes and construction at Polavaram without proper environmental clearances – citing this as a breach of the GWDT-1980 framework.
Despite repeated objections from Telangana, construction work continues. This, the chief minister said, warranted stricter central oversight over what is classified as a national project.
Telangana reiterated its demand for NOCs from Andhra Pradesh and central approvals for utilising 1,500 TMC of water – 1,000 TMC from the Godavari and 500 TMC from the Krishna rivers.
The state said this would help irrigate around 1.5 crore acres, and assured it would not object to Andhra Pradesh’s projects if its own allocations were secured.
Clearances for the Palamuru-Rangareddy, Sammakka-Sarakka, and Tummidi Hatti projects were again pushed as critical to the state’s agricultural needs.
As an alternative for Bhanakacherla, Telangana has proposed the Ichchampalli-Nagarjuna Sagar linkage to divert Godavari waters to the Penna basin, seeking central assistance for the project.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed openness to dialogue and a cooperative approach.
The state also urged the Centre to expedite the verdict of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) to resolve long-pending disputes over Krishna water allocations.
Revanth Reddy reiterated that Telangana would not compromise on its interests.
While expressing a preference for amicable solutions, he warned that the state would approach the Supreme Court if the Centre fails to respond adequately.
The Godavari-sharing dispute between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh has escalated in recent months, with Andhra Pradesh moving swiftly on the Bhanakacherla project.
Under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, any new project on inter-state rivers like the Godavari or Krishna must receive approvals from the relevant river boards, the CWC, and the Apex Council – chaired by the Union Jal Shakti Minister and comprising the two chief ministers.
Telangana contends that Andhra Pradesh has ignored these procedures, fuelling inter-state tensions.
The GWDT-1980 governs the allocation of Godavari waters, while KWDT-II deals with Krishna river allocations. Telangana has pointed to several projects – such as the Purushothapatnam, Venkata Nagaram, Pattiseema, and Chintalapudi lift irrigation schemes – as violations of GWDT norms. The state says these projects lack clearances from the CWC.
The Bhanakacherla project, which intends to draw on Godavari floodwaters, is viewed by Telangana as yet another attempt to circumvent legal provisions. According to Telangana, the GWDT-1980 does not account for flood or surplus waters in its allocations.
Meanwhile, in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called on Telangana to come to the negotiating table.
“There is no point fighting over it. Let us discuss it across the table,” he said, addressing media persons on Thursday.
“Except for the Polavaram project, none of the projects being taken up by both states have all the required clearances. Have I fought with Telangana in the past? If we fight over it, think for a while who is going to benefit,” he said, hinting at the BRS in Telangana.
He continued: “Let us go ahead with the construction of projects depending on how much strength one has.
He further reminded that he had not objected to the Kaleswaram Lift Irrigation Scheme when it was being built.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
