Hyderabad: Former minister and BRS deputy floor leader T. Harish Rao has urged the Centre to safeguard Telangana water interests. He sought directions to the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) to withdraw agenda items relating to major irrigation projects.
In a representation to Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, Harish Rao sought intervention under Section 85 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Moreover, he requested the withdrawal of Agenda Item Nos. 18.3.1, 18.3.6 and 18.3.11 from the GRMB’s proposed 18th meeting.
Harish Rao said the agenda sought to reopen statutory approvals already granted to several Telangana irrigation projects. Further, he argued that the issue involved the institutional authority and legal sanctity of the Union government’s decision-making process.
Telangana water interests linked to irrigation approvals
Harish Rao said the projects had secured Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) clearances from the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Jal Shakti. He said the authorities granted approvals only after detailed technical, engineering, environmental and legal scrutiny. Meanwhile, he argued that the GRMB had no authority to review or cancel those approvals.
He warned that reopening such decisions would weaken the credibility of the Union government’s technical institutions. In addition, he said the move would create an unprecedented institutional anomaly.
The representation referred to Kaleshwaram, Choutupally Hanumantha Reddy, Mukteshwaram, Chanaka-Korata (Rudha), Modikuntavagu, Kadem-Gudem and the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme. Harish Rao said each project had completed the prescribed statutory appraisal process before receiving approval.
Finally, he referred to earlier GRMB proceedings and decisions of the Ministry of Jal Shakti recognising Telangana’s water entitlements after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. He argued that the Central Water Commission had already examined these issues. Therefore, he said the approvals should not be reopened through indirect means.