Telangana’s Irrigation Minister, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, has unequivocally declared that the current Congress government will not permit the construction of the Banakacharla project under any circumstances. He emphasized that the state is actively opposing the project through every available channel, including direct discussions and formal written objections submitted to the Central government.
During a press interaction in Hanamkonda, Minister Reddy asserted the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government’s steadfast commitment to safeguarding Telangana’s rightful share in the vital Krishna and Godavari river waters. He urged the opposition BRS party to cease spreading misinformation, stating, “Not a single word spoken by Harish Rao holds true. The unfair distribution of Krishna and Godavari waters against Telangana’s interests occurred during the decade-long rule of the BRS, not during our 21-month tenure in the Congress government.”
Reddy further highlighted that the Congress administration has already formally communicated Telangana’s strong objections regarding the Banakacharla project to Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil. He noted, “Telangana, along with Maharashtra and other co-basin states, has clearly voiced its opposition. Despite this, BRS MLA T. Harish Rao continues to portray the Telangana government as passive or silent on the issue.”
The Minister levied a serious accusation against former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his then Irrigation Minister, Harish Rao. He alleged that during their leadership, an agreement was reached that allocated a disproportionate 512 TMC of Krishna water to Andhra Pradesh, while Telangana was left with a mere 299 TMC out of the total 811 TMC originally designated for the undivided Andhra Pradesh. “This detrimental agreement was formally documented and presented to the Centre. The significant loss of water share for Telangana unequivocally happened under the BRS government,” he stated.
Detailing the state’s current arguments, Reddy explained that Telangana is now demanding 70% of the 811 TMC based on 75% water dependability, and 734 TMC out of 1,005 TMC at 65% dependability. He confidently affirmed, “We have presented our arguments both in writing and through direct representation, and we are convinced that justice will ultimately prevail for Telangana.”
Concluding his remarks, the Minister reiterated that Telangana would also firmly oppose any plans to increase the height of the Almatti dam. “The political party in power in Karnataka is irrelevant. Telangana’s fundamental water rights are non-negotiable and of supreme importance,” he declared.