In a high-stakes legal move, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy made an urgent trip to Mumbai on Sunday to hold crucial consultations with the state's top legal brains. The focus of the meeting was to craft a formidable argument for the Supreme Court, aiming to halt Andhra Pradesh's contentious Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar project on the Godavari river.
High-Level Mumbai Huddle Ahead of Supreme Court Battle
The Chief Minister, accompanied by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior officials, flew to Mumbai for direct discussions with Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and his legal team. This strategic huddle was convened just a day before the crucial hearing of a writ petition filed by the Telangana government, which is scheduled to come up in the apex court on Monday.
During the intensive meeting, CM Revanth Reddy and Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy explicitly instructed the legal experts to present the strongest possible case against the project. They emphasised the need to secure an immediate order from the Supreme Court to stop Andhra Pradesh from proceeding with the work. The discussions were centred on finalising a robust legal strategy to challenge what Telangana alleges are violations of interstate water-sharing agreements.
Core of the Dispute: Water Rights and Alleged Violations
The heart of Telangana's opposition lies in its claim that the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar project infringes upon its rightful share of Godavari river waters. The state government's writ petition, already filed in the Supreme Court, seeks a directive to halt the expansion work linking the Polavaram project to Banakacherla or Nallamala Sagar, undertaken by Andhra Pradesh without necessary permissions.
The petition argues that any expansion work deviating from the initially approved plan for the Polavaram project is illegal. It also raises serious objections to the Central Government reviewing pre-feasibility reports for the Nallamala Sagar project while allegedly sidelining Telangana's objections. Furthermore, the petition states that Andhra Pradesh is preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) in violation of guidelines set by the Central Water Commission.
Telangana's Multifaceted Legal Demands
In its comprehensive legal offensive, the Telangana government has made several specific requests to the Supreme Court. These include:
- Directing the Polavaram Project Authority to immediately stop the ongoing work.
- Issuing instructions to the Central Water Commission, the Union Water Resources Ministry, and the Godavari River Management Board to intervene.
- Stopping the grant of environmental clearances for Andhra Pradesh's expansion projects.
- Withholding any financial assistance from the Union Government for these projects.
The Chief Minister and irrigation minister directed state officials to provide all necessary evidence and documents to the legal team to build an irrefutable case. An official familiar with the matter stated that this legal battle is fundamentally about safeguarding Telangana's water rights and ensuring that no project proceeds in violation of established laws, procedures, and inter-state agreements. The outcome of Monday's hearing could have significant implications for the long-standing water-sharing dynamics between the two Telugu states.
