Harish counters Uttam Kumar, demands clarity on Telangana’s water issues

BRS MLA charged Irrigation Minister with distorting facts and failing to act promptly on critical inter-State water issues

Hyderabad: Senior BRS MLA and former Minister T Harish Rao has strongly rebutted claims made by Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy regarding Telangana’s water disputes. He charged the Minister with distorting facts and failing to act promptly on critical inter-State water issues.

Refuting the allegations made by Uttam Kumar Reddy against the previous BRS regime, Harish Rao questioned the timing of the former’s January 22 letter, suggesting it was drafted post facto to counter the latter’s earlier press conference. “If you truly wrote the letter on January 22, why was it kept hidden until now? Why wasn’t it shared with the media on the same day?” he asked.

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The BRS legislator pointed out the Andhra Pradesh government’s letters from November 15 and December 31 last year, concerning Godavari, Krishna, and Penna river linkages and funding requests. He criticised the Congress government in Telangana for not responding to these developments sooner, accusing the Minister of inaction while Telangana’s water share was at stake.

On his remarks on the proposed Banakacherla project, Harish Rao clarified that he never claimed 200 TMC was being diverted by Andhra Pradesh, but had only pointed out its efforts to construct the project and the risk due to silence of Telangana on the project’s design,” he stated.

He also rejected claims that the BRS government ignored the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project, due to its relations with the YSR Congress party in Andhra Pradesh. “From the start, we opposed it, wrote multiple letters to KRMB, the Centre, and even secured a stay from the National Green Tribunal,” he asserted.

In response to Uttam Kumar Reddy’s accusations against him, Harish Rao pointed to his active participation in tribunal meetings and efforts to secure Telangana’s water rights under Section 3. “I will hold another press meet to expose your false propaganda with full facts,” he concluded.