Telangana prepares legal challenge against Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar Link Project

Hyderabad: The Telangana government intensified preparations on Sunday to challenge the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar Link ahead of the Supreme Court hearing scheduled for January 5.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy met senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi in Mumbai to finalise the state’s legal strategy. Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior officials also joined the discussions.

During the meeting, the team focused on framing strong constitutional and legal arguments against the proposed interstate water diversion. Telangana has consistently opposed the project, citing its impact on the state’s water rights.

Moreover, officials said the state would argue that the proposed diversion violated existing interstate water-sharing agreements. They added that the plan posed a serious risk to Telangana’s assured share of Godavari waters.

Therefore, the government decided to strengthen its presentation before the apex court. The leadership stressed the need for a coordinated and legally sound approach.

Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar Link hearing set for January 5

The Supreme Court will hear Telangana’s petition against the project on Monday. The hearing assumes significance due to its potential impact on interstate water-sharing mechanisms.

Meanwhile, state officials reiterated that Telangana would pursue all legal remedies to protect its irrigation and drinking water interests. They said the case involved long-term consequences for water security.

In addition, the government maintained that any unilateral diversion would harm farmers and downstream users. Officials also warned that such projects could upset the federal balance in water governance.

Consequently, the outcome of the hearing is expected to influence future engagements between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The state leadership said it would continue to defend its entitlements through constitutional means.