Amid Polavaram SC hearings, Andhra CM Naidu calls for unity between Telugu states – ‘Project will help resolve water problems’
The Supreme Court is hearing the Telangana government’s plea seeking a halt to expansion works, arguing, among other things, that the Andhra Pradesh government’s proposed linking of Polavaram to Banakacherla or Nallamala Sagar was undertaken without permissions.
Calling for unity between the Telugu states on water sharing and river interlinking, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said political differences should not lead to hostility.
Speaking at the 3rd World Telugu Conference in Guntur on Monday — a day after Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy vowed to oppose the Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar Project — Naidu said large quantities of water from the Godavari and Krishna rivers were going to waste into the sea every year. He asserted that river interlinking projects such as Polavaram and the Krishna–Godavari linkage would address India’s long-standing water problems.
He appealed for cooperation between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, saying unity among Telugu people is essential for the progress of the Telugu language and community.
This comes a day after Reddy met senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi in Mumbai to discuss the state government’s strategy in the ongoing Polavaram–Nallamala legal dispute in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is hearing the Telangana government’s plea seeking a halt to expansion works, arguing, among other things, that the Andhra Pradesh government’s proposed linking of Polavaram to Banakacherla or Nallamala Sagar was undertaken without permissions.
Last November, the Andhra Pradesh government proposed a new project to divert surplus Godavari waters to drought-prone Rayalaseema and cancelled the Polavaram–Banakacherla link project opposed by Telangana. The Naidu government was keen on the Polavaram–Banakacherla link, which envisages diverting 200 TMC of Godavari floodwater from Polavaram to the Banakacherla regulator in Kurnool district.
With Telangana strongly opposing the project, the Centre decided in July to set up two separate expert committees comprising technical officials, central officers and state officials to resolve water disputes between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The move followed a meeting between Naidu, Reddy and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil.
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After talks and discussions, the Naidu government withdrew a tender notice issued on October 11 calling for a detailed project report on the Polavaram–Banakacherla link project.
Officials of the AP Water Resources Development Department said the new project aims to transfer water from Polavaram to the Nallamala Sagar under the Veligonda Project in Prakasam district. Naidu said the AP government wants to avoid controversy with Telangana.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
