Telangana moves Supreme Court with plea to restrain Andhra Pradesh on PBLP

HYDERABAD

The Telangana government on Tuesday filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking directions to restrain Andhra Pradesh and its agencies from proceeding with the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR), taking up the process of tenders and execution of the Polavaram-Banakacherla/Nallamalasagar Link Project (PBLP/PNLP).

In the petition, it has also prayed to prevent A.P. from going ahead with the plans of associated capacity expansions of Polavaram project and also stop regulating agencies such as the Central Water Commission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Polavaram Project Authority, Godavari and Krishna River Management Boards from appraising the pre-feasibility report and DPR of the PNLP.

Further, it has requested the Apex Court to direct the agencies concerned from granting clearances and approvals and releasing funds for the impugned project PNLP and unapproved expansions of Polavaram project, pending a lawful and inter-State complaint process. A.P.’s plans of taking up PNLP and Polavaram project expansion is in violation of binding Tribunal Awards and AP State Reorganisation Act, the Telangana government stated in the petition.

Against the approval for diversion of 80 tmc ft water from Polavaram project to Krishna river through the former’s canal system for use in the Krishna Delta, the A.P. government was expanding the project infrastructure to carry an additional 200 tmc ft water further intended to increase it to 300 tmc ft a year to Krishna river and beyond through PBLP/PNLP without any approvals, the petition explained.

The petition brought to the Supreme Court’s notice that A.P. has already undertaken the Polavaram expansion for PNLP and thereafter submitted its pre-feasibility report to CWC. Without even waiting for the CWC’s consent, a prerequisite to prepare DPR as per existing guidelines and despite instructions of CWC not to take up DPR, A.P. has floated tenders, completed technical bids and taken up financial bids on December 17.

Telangana has further brought to the Apex Court’s notice through the petition that the appraisal of PFR of the impugned project based on flood waters by the CWC is itself contrary to the guidelines of CWC and MoJS. “The petition is about enforcement of the binding Award of GWDT as the executive actions of A.P. are in violation of the same and it’s not a water dispute and it’s purely legal to be taken up by the court”, Telangana prayed.

The MoJS and CWC have already sensitised A.P. against its illegal actions but the latter is vehement in its illegalities and it warrants judicial intervention as neither the PPA nor GRMB, having authority to injuct/prohibit A.P. from proceeding with the illegal action, are acting and forced Telangana to move the Apex Court, Telangana said in the petition.