KTR blames Congress for drought, questions use of irrigation pumps

BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the Telangana government of worsening drought conditions by allowing more than 1,000 TMCft of Godavari and Krishna water to flow downstream. He alleged that irrigation pumps were not used despite warnings of El Niño

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the Congress government of creating drought conditions in Telangana by allowing vast quantities of water from the Godavari and Krishna rivers to flow downstream despite advance warnings of El Nino.

“This is not a drought brought by fate, but one created by Congress,” he said, alleging that the government delayed the utilisation of available water and failed to protect farmers from an impending irrigation crisis.

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Sharing a video of Narlapur pumps lifting water on X, Rama Rao said more than 750 TMCft of Godavari water and 250 TMCft of Krishna water had been allowed to flow downstream since June 1 this year. He said the government could have used the Kannepalli and Devadula pumps to fill reservoirs and tanks along the Godavari river, while operating the Palamuru-Rangareddy and Kalwakurthy lift irrigation schemes to utilise Krishna river water.

Citing the Narlapur pump house of the Palamuru-Rangareddy project, the BRS working president said inflows into the Srisailam reservoir began on July 29, but the Revanth Reddy government took 76 days to start pumping, just two days ago. The pump house accommodates 145 MW pumps, which are among the largest irrigation pumps in the world.

He recalled that despite repeated demands by BRS leaders to operate the pumps, the Congress government had delayed action. “Had pumping begun when the floodwaters arrived, Telangana could have lifted around 40 TMCft of water, enough to irrigate four lakh acres, during the season,” he said.

Rama Rao said the Congress government’s reluctance to operate infrastructure built under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was driven by a desire to deny credit to the BRS leader. He stated that the delay had contributed significantly to the severe irrigation shortage now faced by farmers.

“Despite meteorologists warning of El Nino since March, the government failed to act. Andhra Pradesh diverted the released water through Pattiseema, Pothireddypadu and the Veligonda tunnel, supplying even the distant Kuppam region,” he remarked.

Rama Rao said Telangana could have conserved and used more of its share through the timely operation of its lift irrigation projects. He accused the Congress government of squandering a crucial opportunity to build water reserves ahead of a potentially difficult agricultural season.