BJP chief Ramchander Rao questions delay in Kaleshwaram rehabilitation

BJP State president N Ramchander Rao accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of failing to utilise water from the Kaleshwaram project and ignoring NDSA recommendations, blaming the government for farmers’ distress and alleged attempts to evade responsibility by involving the CBI.

Hyderabad: BJP State president N Ramchander Rao on Sunday criticised Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, accusing him of failing to utilise water from the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project despite the growing need for irrigation and drinking water.

In an open letter to the Chief Minister, Ramchander Rao alleged that the Congress government’s failure to implement the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) recommendations on time had caused distress among farmers.

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He claimed that the NDSA had submitted reports to the State government in 2023, 2024 and 2025, recommending geophysical and geotechnical studies. However, the government failed to act on those recommendations in time. 

Referring to the Chief Minister’s remarks on Saturday that the NDSA would be responsible for the rehabilitation process, Ramchander Rao alleged that the State government was trying to evade its responsibility and mislead the public.

He said experts had suggested that water could be lifted from the Kanepally pump house without causing damage to the Medigadda barrage. Regarding the Annaram and Sundilla barrages, he said experts had recommended examining options to lift water with minimal storage and without damaging the structures. 

“The State government failed to rehabilitate the barrages in time, leading to the present situation,” Ramchander Rao said. 

He also criticised the Chief Minister for allegedly trying to shift the blame to the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) over the investigation into irregularities in the three barrages.

“You are shedding crocodile tears while restricting the CBI’s terms of reference to only the three barrages and not the entire project,” he said, expressing hope that the Chief Minister would ensure effective utilisation of water from the Kaleshwaram project.