Harish Rao Alleges Secrecy Over Godavari-Banakacherla Project

T. Harish Rao has alleged that the proposed Godavari-Banakacherla project is being pursued in secrecy, with crucial discussions and decisions being kept away from public scrutiny. He claimed that the Andhra Pradesh government is moving ahead with plans to construct the project utilizing 167 TMC of water, while details of key meetings and their minutes have not been disclosed. Harish Rao also questioned the participation of Telangana representatives in these discussions, alleging that technical experts and engineers from the state were not being adequately involved.

The former minister further expressed concern over reports linked to the Polavaram-Cauvery river interlinking proposal. According to him, if Andhra Pradesh secures an additional share of Godavari waters while upstream allocations remain unchanged, regions dependent on the Krishna River could face significant challenges. Harish Rao warned that districts such as Mahabubnagar may be adversely affected due to reduced river flows, potentially impacting irrigation and drinking water availability. He urged the Telangana government to protect the state's water interests and ensure complete transparency in all discussions related to interstate river projects.