Hyderabad, Aug.7 (RAHNUMA): Former minister and BRS deputy floor leader T. Harish Rao has written to Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Patil, seeking urgent intervention under Section 85 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, to protect Telangana’s legitimate water interests.
In a detailed representation on Friday, Harish Rao requested the Union Minister to direct the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) to withdraw Agenda Item Nos. 18.3.1, 18.3.6 and 18.3.11 from the agenda of its proposed 18th meeting, stating that these items seek to reopen and review statutory approvals already granted to several major irrigation projects in Telangana.
Harish Rao stated that the issue is not merely an inter-State dispute, but one concerning the institutional authority, credibility and legal sanctity of the Government of India’s own decision-making process.
He pointed out that the irrigation projects in question had received Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) clearance from the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Ministry of Jal Shakti only after comprehensive technical, hydrological, engineering, environmental and legal scrutiny involving all concerned stakeholders, including the River Management Board and the basin States.
The letter emphasises that once such statutory approvals have been granted by the competent authorities of the Union government, no subordinate body such as the GRMB can assume appellate powers to review, reconsider or seek cancellation of those approvals.
Harish Rao argued that allowing the GRMB to revisit decisions already taken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti would create an unprecedented institutional anomaly and undermine the authority of the Central government’s own technical institutions.
The representation highlights that the agenda seeks reconsideration of approvals granted to key Telangana irrigation projects, including Kaleshwaram, Choutupally Hanumantha Reddy, Mukteshwaram, Chanaka-Korata (Rudha), Modikuntavagu, Kadem-Gudem and the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme, all of which underwent the prescribed statutory appraisal process before receiving approval.
The letter also draws attention to previous GRMB proceedings and decisions of the Ministry of Jal Shakti recognising the water entitlements of Telangana following the bifurcation of the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh. It notes that these issues had already been examined in detail by the Central Water Commission while granting approvals and therefore cannot be reopened through indirect means.
