Telangana wants CWC halting appraisal of PNLP pre-feasibility report for attending January 30 meeting

Ahead of the January 30 meeting with top officials of the Water Resources department of Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana government has addressed a letter to the Secretary of Ministry of Jal Shakti earlier this month, seeking directions to A.P. to halt the ‘illegal construction and preparation of detailed project report (DPR) of the Polavaram-Nallamalasagar/Banakacherla Link Project (PNLP/PBLP)’.

In the letter addressed to the Secretary of MoJS V.L. Kantha Rao, Principal Secretary (Irrigation) of Telangana Rahul Bojja sought firm action against A.P. for going ahead with PNLP/PBLP against the guidelines of the Central Water Commission (CWC). He reminded the former that Telangana had rejected inclusion of PBLP/PNLP as a part of the agenda for constitution of the officials committee to discuss the contentious river water issues.

The Telangana official said the State had objected to inclusion of PBLP/PNLP in the agenda before and during the July 16, 2025 meeting of the officials and Chief Ministers of the two States. However, the State of A.P. is proceeding with illegal activities of construction and preparation of DPR against the instructions of MoJS.

(Interestingly, while Telangana denied discussing PBLP/PNLP at the July 16 meeting, Minister for Water Resources of A.P. was on record to state that the issue was discussed and the committee proposed then was to carry on the discussions further on PBLP/PNLP and other contentious river water issues between the two States.)

Telangana had communicated a letter on December 23 last suggesting members of the officials committee (for the January 30 meeting) to resolve other water issues. “Further, it is understood that A.P. is proceeding ahead with the preparation of DPR of PBLP/PNLP and the CWC is proceeding ahead with appraisal of its pre-feasibility report (PFR), one of the main concerns raised by Telangana,” Mr. Bojja said in the letter and added that ‘the process is leading to fait accompli situation in respect of the project’.

He made it clear that the Government of Telangana is constrained to inform that it shall participate in the meetings of the two States’ officials committee headed by the Chairman of CWC, only if the process of preparation of DPR of the PBLP/PNLP and it’s illegal construction by A.P. and the process of appraisal of PFR by the CWC is halted/stopped.

Telangana also reserves its rights to avail the legal remedies available to it in the matter, the Principal Secretary (Irrigation) stated.