KTR blames Revanth govt for impending water crisis in Telangana

BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the Congress government of worsening Telangana's water crisis by not operating the Kannepalli pump house. He demanded immediate lifting of Godavari waters through Kaleshwaram and warned of intensified protests if the pumps remain idle

Hyderabad/Warangal: BRS working president KT Rama Rao squarely blamed the Congress government for the impending water crisis in Telangana amid the prevailing drought conditions and the El Niño threat. He said the government’s refusal to operate the Kannepalli pump house of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, despite abundant flows in the Godavari river, was allowing precious river water to drain into the sea while farmers faced drought.

After inspecting the Kannepalli pump house on Sunday, Rama Rao demanded that the State government immediately begin lifting water through the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme to fill reservoirs and protect standing crops. He warned that if the government failed to act, the BRS would mobilise around 50,000 farmers to lay siege to the Kannepalli pump house and start the pumps themselves.

---

Holding Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy personally responsible for the emerging water crisis, the BRS working president stated that the government was deliberately neglecting the Kaleshwaram project to discredit it rather than safeguard farmers’ interests. “The government’s first priority should be the farmer. If it still refuses to lift water despite the prevailing drought and El Niño threat, we will intensify our agitation,” he said.

Citing official river flow data, Rama Rao said nearly one lakh cusecs of Godavari river water was flowing downstream without being utilised. He said the Kannepalli pumps could lift nearly two TMCft of water daily without depending on the damaged Medigadda barrage, as water was available at sufficient levels to operate the system. He asserted that the BRS delegation’s visit was meant to highlight the seriousness of the issue.

He argued that immediate pumping could replenish major reservoirs and provide irrigation to lakhs of acres, besides improving drinking water security. Referring to warnings of below-normal rainfall due to El Niño, he said drought conditions were already visible across much of Telangana, with nearly 26 of the 33 districts recording deficit rainfall, and accused the government of failing to prepare despite repeated weather advisories.

The former Minister said the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme was far more than a single barrage, comprising three barrages, 21 pump houses, 15 reservoirs, 19 substations, extensive tunnels and a storage capacity of about 141 TMCft. He credited the project with transforming irrigation, raising groundwater levels, enhancing agricultural productivity and helping Telangana emerge as one of the country’s leading paddy-producing States.

He dismissed criticism centred on Medigadda, arguing that the entire project should not be abandoned because of issues at one barrage. Alleging that maintenance had been neglected for the last two years, he said engineers themselves had pointed to poor upkeep of the pumping infrastructure.

Rama Rao charged the Congress government with deliberately avoiding irrigation releases to escape the financial burden of fertiliser supply, procurement and bonus payments to farmers. He challenged the Chief Minister to hand over Kaleshwaram to former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for just one week, asserting that the BRS founder would restore water supply across Telangana within days.

Calling upon farmers to visit Kannepalli and witness the situation firsthand, he reiterated that the BRS would continue its agitation until the pumps were switched on and Godavari waters were lifted for irrigation.