When politics met policy shortcuts, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• Telangana CM Revanth Reddy's statement on Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu halting the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) has sparked controversy.
• Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy accuses Naidu of betraying Rayalaseema's interests.
• Both RLIS and Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) violate GO 69 and the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
• The RLIS, initiated in 2020 with a projected cost of ₹3,825 crore, faced setbacks when the National Green Tribunal halted construction in July 2021.
• As of July 2025, GO 44 indicates the RLIS is still considered a pending project.

Detailed Insights:

• The controversy highlights the prioritization of political optics over legal and environmental considerations in water management.
• GO 69 restricts water withdrawal below the minimum draw down level of the Srisailam reservoir to drinking water purposes only.
• The AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 mandates that all government orders issued by the combined state are binding on both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• PRLIS in Telangana draws water from the Srisailam reservoir at the 800-foot level, while RLIS in Andhra Pradesh proposes drawing at the 840-foot level.
• RLIS advanced rapidly without mandatory environmental clearances, leading to the National Green Tribunal's intervention after ₹883 crore had been spent.
• Andhra Pradesh faces a choice between completing RLIS with necessary clearances or prioritizing legally sanctioned irrigation projects in Rayalaseema.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Government Order (GO): A directive issued by a state government, carrying legal authority.
• Minimum Draw Down Level (MDDL): The lowest permissible level at which water can be drawn from a reservoir.
• Inter-State Water Disputes: Conflicts arising between states over the allocation and usage of river waters.