Water Unity: Resolving the Polavaram Project Dispute

A new high-level committee will be established within a week to address the contentious Polavaram Banakacherla Link Project and other inter-state water disagreements between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The decision emerged from a meeting chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, attended by the chief ministers of both states.

The proposed committee, with experts from both regions, will tackle long-standing issues and suggest fair, technically sound solutions. Andhra Pradesh's plan to divert 200 TMC of Godavari floodwaters has faced opposition from Telangana over water security concerns.

Efforts to manage shared water resources post-bifurcation were also discussed, including the installation of telemetry instruments for real-time monitoring and agreements on river board locations. The session marked a cooperative tone shift between the two governments.

(With inputs from agencies.)