Kotha Prabhakar threatens to break Mallanna Sagar reservoir gates amid water crisis

Dubbak MLA Kotha Prabhakar Reddy threatened to forcibly open Mallanna Sagar reservoir gates if water was not released to canals in Medak. BRS leaders criticised the Congress government for irrigation failures and accused it of neglecting farmers’ welfare

Medak: In a sharp escalation of protest over irrigation water shortage, Dubbak MLA Kotha Prabhakar Reddy on Thursday threatened to break open the gates of the Mallanna Sagar reservoir if the State government failed to release water to canals supplying farmers in his constituency and other parts of the erstwhile Medak district.

Speaking at the Rythu Maha Dharna held at the Medak Collectorate, the MLA demanded immediate release of water to Kudavelly vagu, Shankarampet canal, Ramayampet canal, and others to meet vanakalam cultivation needs. “We will certainly break the gates if the government doesn’t act,” he warned.

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Reddy criticised the Congress government for failing to lift water to key reservoirs, stating that Mallanna Sagar, Ranganayaka Sagar, Kondapochamma Sagar, and Ananthagiri were nearing dead storage levels. A large volume of Godavari water had flowed into the Bay of Bengal due to the government’s inaction, he said, adding that paddy cultivation in the region was in jeopardy.

Hailing the efforts of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who built several reservoirs in a span of 10 years, the Dubbak MLA accused Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy of not conducting even a single review on irrigation issues since assuming charge.

He also took aim at Medak district in-charge Minister Damodara Rajanarasimha, alleging that he had no understanding of the district’s problems and was only focused on earning commissions.

Former Minister S Niranjan Reddy alleged that the Congress government had completely failed to safeguard farmers’ interests, resulting in the suicide of nearly 600 farmers over the past 21 months.

He also claimed that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had conspired to halt the Rythu Bharosa scheme after the local body elections.

Former Minister T Harish Rao, MLAs V Sunitha Lakshma Reddy, M Padma Devendar Reddy, and other leaders were present at the protest.