CM Revanth Reddy firm on countering A.P. on Banakacherla

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has announced his firmness to counter neighbouring Andhra Pradesh' moves to take up the Banakacharla-Polavaram project claiming that it is against the interests of Telangana.
The CM, who participated in a meeting of all party MPs here on Wednesday, asked them to cooperate in passing a unanimous resolution against the proposed project to mount pressure on the Central Government against giving its go ahead.
'We shall stay on one page in the larger interests of the people of Telangana. We will pass a unanimous resolution cutting across political lines in this direction,' he said, adding that he would meet Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil on Thursday.
It was decided at the meeting that the issue would be raised in the ensuing monsoon session of Parliament next month. 'We will meet all the Ministers concerned including the Union Finance Minister, to oppose the project,' he said.
The project still needs environmental and other clearances and the ministers concerned would be requested not to accord them. 'I will stay in New Delhi for three or four days if need be to mount pressure on the Centre,' he said.
The political battle would be followed by legal battle where in the government is prepared to rope in the best lawyers to defend its cause and protect the State's interests.
Asserting that the meeting was not for political purposes, he said the foundation for the Banakacharla project was laid in 2019 when the then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao assured AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy that he would extend his cooperation to the neighbouring State's efforts to make Rayalaseema fertile through the diversion of Godavari water to Krishna and Penna basins.
'Mr. Rao and Mr. Jagan agreed to divert 400 tmc ft Godavari water to Rayalaseema region in this direction,' he said.

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