What prompted EAC to reject AP's Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project proposal?
Aimed at transforming the State's water landscape, the project seeks to divert 200 TMC of Godavari floodwater from the Polavaram Dam to the Banakacherla Regulator or Srisailam Right Main Canal.
However, the proposal has been returned by the Central Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), amid legal, environmental, and interstate concerns. Telangana's objections and criticism from water resource experts, who call the project 'beyond logic,' have further fuelled the controversy.
The PBLP is a bold initiative to combat water scarcity in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in the drought-prone Rayalaseema region. Spanning 2,40,604 hectares across eight districts, including East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Rayalaseema, it involves expanding the Polavaram Right Main Canal's capacity from 17,500 to 38,000 cusecs, and the Thatipudi Lift Irrigation Scheme's canal from 1,400 to 10,000 cusecs.
A new reservoir at Bollapalli in Guntur district, supported by lift stations at Harischandrapuram, Lingapuram, Vyyandana, Gangireddypalem, and Nakirekallu, will channel water to Banakacherla and Veligonda reservoirs through a 19.5-km tunnel in the Nallamala forest.
The project aims to irrigate 3 lakh hectares of new ayacut, stabilise 9.14 lakh hectares of existing ayacut, provide drinking water to 80 lakh people, allocate 20 TMC for industrial use, and generate 400 MW of hydropower.
Costing an estimated Rs 81,900 crore, it requires Rs 54,000 acres of land, and 4,000 MW of power, with Naidu seeking Central funding to address financial challenges.
Reasons for project rejection
The EAC, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, rejected the PBLP proposal due to significant legal and environmental issues. Telangana claimed the project violates the 1980 Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award, which requires consultation with co-basin States like Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
The EAC has highlighted unresolved submergence concerns in Odisha and Chhattisgarh tied to the Polavaram project, which are still under judicial review. The Central Water Commission's 2018 report, stating no surplus water at Polavaram at 75% dependability, contradicted Andhra Pradesh's floodwater diversion claims. The EAC has instructed AP to resolve interstate disputes, and secure CWC clearance before resubmitting it.
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