Jagadish Reddy challenges Bhatti for open debate on Musi pollution, encroachments

Former Minister and senior BRS leader G Jagadish Reddy said the Cong govt lacked a clear strategy for Musi Riverfront development, and asked the govt to furnish a DPR for the multi-crore project.

Hyderabad: Former Minister and senior BRS leader G Jagadish Reddy challenged Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka for an open debate on Musi River pollution and encroachments. He said the Congress government lacked a clear strategy for Musi Riverfront development, and asked the government to furnish a Detail Project Report (DPR) for the multi-crore project.

Speaking to mediapersons at Telangana Bhavan here on Monday, Jagadish Reddy said during the BRS regime itself, the beautification of Musi River commenced with an initial DPR suggesting an expenditure of Rs.16,000 crore. The Congress government now claims the project will cost Rs.1.5 lakh crore, but there has been no detailed discussion on the budget or plans in the Cabinet itself.

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“The Congress government is unable to spare funds for welfare programmes including farm loan waiver. Where will they get Rs 1.5 lakh crore for Musi Riverfront beautification?” he asked.

The former Minister blamed the Congress for its decades of negligence, turning both the Musi and Hussain Sagar into polluted water bodies in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. He dared the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to demolish the multi-storied residential projects in the full tank level (FTL) of various tanks in and around Hyderabad, stating that true beautification meant preventing pollution and ensuring clean water, not demolishing homes and uprooting poor families.

He reminded that former chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao ended the flourosis problem and providing clean drinking water to erstwhile Nalgonda district. He also planned to lift water from Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme via Kondapochamma Sagar to Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. If the Congress government was not capable, the BRS was ready to take up Musi River cleansing, he said, also charging Congress leaders with ruining the brand image of Hyderabad through reckless demolitions and financial mismanagement. He questioned the purpose of demolition of houses of the poor and the marginalised sections in the name of HYDRAA and the Musi project, ignoring crucial issues faced by people.

“The Congress government demolished properties worth Rs 1,000 crore and gearing up to spend Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the name of Musi Riverfront beautification. These funds will be siphoned off to fill the coffers of the Congress and benefit their friends in the State,” he added.