Hyderabad: The Telangana government has decided to escalate its legal challenge against Andhra Pradesh by filing a civil suit in the Supreme Court over the contentious Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link project, which involves the diversion of flood waters from the Godavari River.
The move follows guidance from a bench led by the Chief Justice of India, which advised that the dispute be pursued through a civil suit rather than an original writ petition. The court observed that a suit would allow a more detailed examination of evidence and the broader implications of the inter-state water dispute.
Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link dispute taken to civil suit
Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who has been leading Telangana’s legal efforts, described the decision as a proactive step to protect the state’s rightful share of water. Speaking outside the Supreme Court, he said the government would pursue the matter with full determination to safeguard Telangana’s entitlements.
During the hearings held on Monday and again on Tuesday, the Supreme Court indicated that a civil suit was the appropriate legal route for resolving such a complex dispute involving multiple states. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Telangana, informed the bench that the state would withdraw the writ petition and initiate the process for filing the suit before the same judicial panel.
The minister later told reporters in New Delhi that the proposed project violates existing inter-state agreements and could deprive downstream regions in Telangana of crucial water resources. He reiterated that the government would contest the issue in every available forum to protect farmers and future generations.
