Jagadish Reddy slams Congress government over water, power shortage affecting farmers

BRS MLA G Jagadish Reddy criticised the Congress government over drying paddy crops in erstwhile Nalgonda district, questioning the availability of irrigation water and power. He rejected El Nino and coal shortage explanations and demanded immediate action

Nalgonda: BRS MLA and former Minister G Jagadish Reddy slammed the Congress government for neglecting farmers and questioned why paddy crops were drying up in erstwhile Nalgonda district despite adequate water availability in the Krishna River. He rejected the government’s explanation that El Nino was responsible for the situation and termed the claim of a coal shortage equally unconvincing.

The Suryapet MLA inspected dried paddy fields at Telakantigudem in Kanagal mandal of Suryapet constituency and interacted with affected farmers. He later visited the Thimmanagudem sub-station and examined its power supply log book along with former MLA Kancharla Bhupal Reddy.

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Speaking to mediapersons on Sunday, Jagadish Reddy demanded that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Ministers explain why farmers were not being provided adequate water and power. He questioned why power generation at the Yadadri and Bhadradri plants was being stopped. He alleged that the government was offering different excuses for the shortage of power and water, but no solution.

The former Minister said farmers told him that cultivation had improved during the K Chandrasekhar Rao government, but crops had been drying up again for the past three years. He also questioned Ministers Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka over the situation. He challenged them to visit the affected fields and answer the farmers.

“There is no need for politics here. Farmers need answers,” he said, demanding immediate supply of adequate irrigation water and 24-hour power. He warned that the BRS would launch an agitation if the government failed to ensure adequate water and uninterrupted power supply to farmers.