Kaleshwaram Project Status Plea Ignored: Andhra Pradesh Fumes Over Unauthorized Telangana Water Expansion

Andhra Pradesh's plea for national project status for the Kaleshwaram and PRLIS irrigation projects remains unheeded, with the central government yet to respond. The state has accused Telangana of unauthorizedly increasing the pumping capacity at Kaleshwaram from the originally envisaged 2 tmcft to 3 tmcft per day and raising water utilization from about 225 tmcft to 450 tmcft.

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, a major multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River, has been a point of contention between the two Telugu states since their bifurcation in 2014. Andhra Pradesh argues that the project's original design and water allocations were violated by Telangana's unilateral actions, which could impact downstream users. The state has sought national project status to secure central funding and oversight, but the request has not been addressed.

The lack of response from the central government may exacerbate inter-state tensions and delay crucial irrigation benefits. Andhra Pradesh is likely to escalate the issue, possibly through legal channels or by seeking intervention from the central water authorities. The outcome will have significant implications for water-sharing agreements and regional agricultural economies.