Polavaram-Nallamala project opposed by Maharashtra and Karnataka too: Telangana Irrigation Minister

Telangana Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Polavaram-Nallamalla project was not only opposed by Telangana but also by Maharashtra and Karnataka.

In an informal interaction with the media in the Assembly on Monday (January 5, 2026), he asserted that the Telangana government is firmly opposing the Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar project in all available forums, stating that it violates inter-State river water regulations.

Mr. Reddy clarified that the letter being cited by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader T. Harish Rao had no relevance to the present issue, as it was merely a mention of water availability. He said that the Telangana government had already written to the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), clearly conveying that the Polavaram–Nallamala project contravenes inter-state norms. He added that GRMB had also supported Telangana’s stand on the matter.

He said senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi has been asked to present strong arguments before the Supreme Court. The Apex court, he said, has adjourned the case to next Monday and suggested that the matter be pursued through a suit petition rather than a writ petition. The State will seek a stay on the project during the next hearing, which, Mr. Reddy said, he would attend personally.

Regarding the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme, the Minister stated that the works were halted only after the Congress Government assumed office in Telangana, as revealed by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

Dismissing the Opposition’s claims, he questioned why the previous BRS government had remained silent if the project had indeed been stopped during its regime. He contended that pressure exerted by the Telangana government forced Andhra Pradesh to halt the works.

Mr. Reddy also attacked the BRS, alleging that during its tenure there was “more over-smartness and less work” on Krishna and Godavari river water management. He accused the previous regime of causing massive losses to Telangana by altering major project designs, including shifting the Palamuru–Rangareddy project from Jurala to Srisailam and modifying the Kaleshwaram project from Tummidihatti to Medigadda.