BRS to launch padayatra next month over Palamuru-Rangareddy project delay

BRS announced a padayatra in June demanding immediate completion of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme. Former Minister V Srinivas Goud accused the Congress government of delaying the project, neglecting irrigation works and compromising Telangana’s water interests.

Hyderabad: Opposing the Congress government‘s alleged delay in completing the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, the BRS will undertake a padayatra in June to demand its immediate completion. The party will soon announce the exact dates for the foot march from Narlapur to Uddandapur to highlight the Congress government’s alleged neglect of irrigation projects in the Palamuru region.

“The government woke up to this issue only after we announced our agitation. For two-and-a-half years, it has done nothing except hold review meetings, and the latest review meeting did not even have irrigation officials present,” former Minister V Srinivas Goud said.

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Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan on Thursday, Srinivas Goud said the Narlapur and Yedula reservoirs were nearly 95 per cent complete and canal works were 98 per cent finished under the previous BRS regime. However, he said the Congress government cancelled tenders after assuming power and delayed completion of the project. He demanded that fresh tenders be issued immediately to complete the project within six months.

Targeting Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the former Minister said Telangana’s irrigation interests were being compromised. He objected to the appointment of former Andhra Pradesh Special Chief Secretary Adityanath Das as irrigation advisor to Telangana, calling it detrimental to Telangana’s water interests.

He alleged that linking approvals for the Palamuru-Rangareddy project with the proposed Godavari-Kaveri river-linking project amounted to a betrayal of Telangana. He criticised the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government, accusing them of acting against Telangana’s interests. He also slammed BJP and Congress MPs from the State for remaining mute spectators.

Former MLAs Anjaiah Yadav and Beeram Harshavardhan Reddy also accused the Congress government of delaying irrigation works and failing to address farmers’ concerns in the Palamuru region.