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PPA, GRMB object to diversion of water for Banakacherla

PPA, GRMB object to diversion of water for Banakacherla

HYDERABAD: Both the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) and the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) have raised objections to the Andhra Pradesh government's proposal to divert water from the Polavaram project to Banakacherla.
The GRMB, citing the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, stated that there was no formal apportionment of the Godavari river water between the successor states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It noted that neither a tribunal award nor a mutual agreement exists to allocate the water between the two states. 'The CWC may take note of this,' the GRMB said in its letter to the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The GRMB suggested that either a new tribunal be established for the Godavari river or a mutual agreement be reached between the successor states for sharing water.
The GRMB further pointed out that, as per the 2014 Act, regulation of river water to the successor states should consider tribunal awards under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. It said that while the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award of 1980 incorporated inter-state agreements, it did not apportion water among the basin states. Consequently, there is no quantified share assigned to Andhra Pradesh or Telangana.
On the proposed diversion of 2 tmcft of water per day from the Polavaram dam, the GRMB said that such a move could alter the existing operation schedule of the project. Any changes, it stated, must be made in consultation with the states of the erstwhile Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
On the transfer of Godavari waters to the Krishna basin, the GRMB cited Clause 7(f) of Annexure-I of Annexure-C of the GWDT Award.
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