Hyderabad, Nov 18 (IANS) Reiterating opposition to the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project being planned by the Andhra Pradesh, Telangana’s Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday urged Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Paatil not to give permissions to the project.

Uttam Kumar Reddy met the Union Minister in Delhi and urged him not to clear the project proposed by Andhra Pradesh.

The Telangana minister told media persons after the meeting that the Andhra Pradesh government is trying to take up the project with a different name,” he said

“Andhra Pradesh has submitted a pre-feasibility report regarding the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project. We opposed it. It is very clear that there is no scope for anyone to allocate flood water in the Godavari Water Dispute 1980 award,” he said.

The minister said he explained to the Union Minister in writing that this project is illegal. He mentioned that Maharashtra and Karnataka are also opposing this project.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also urged the Centre not to allow Karnataka to increase the height of the Almatti dam across the Krishna River. He said that the Supreme Court has given a stay that the height of Almatti should not be increased beyond 519 meters.

“While this stay is in place, the Karnataka government has taken a cabinet decision, given a Government Order and started proceedings for land acquisition to increase the height. We have brought this matter to the attention of the Central government,” he said, adding that an increase in the height of Almatti would do injustice to Telangana.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also urged Paatil to resolve the irrigation-related issues of Telangana pending with the Jal Shakti Ministry. “We have sought a total allocation of 90 TMC of water for the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme. Out of that, we have asked for 45 TMC of water to be allocated immediately,” he said.

He also sought clearances for the Samakka-Sarakka project across the Godavari River as early as possible. He told the Union Minister that the state government has already submitted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and given all the details to the Central Water Commission.

The Brijesh Tribunal (Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal-2) should divide 811 TMC between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, but the proceedings related to this are also going very slowly. Reddy said the Centre should take the initiative and request the Brijesh Tribunal to finalise these proceedings quickly.

The Telangana minister also demanded the release of funds for the state’s irrigation projects. He said the state government had been asking for Central funding for irrigation for the last 22 months.

–IANS

ms/uk