Revanth Reddy is mortgaging Telangana’s water rights as ‘Guru Dakshina’ to his political mentor: Harish Rao

BRS leader T. Harish Rao accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of compromising Telangana's water rights and demanded details of the recent meeting with the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, alleging the State's interests were being ignored in Krishna and Godavari river projects.

Hyderabad: Accusing Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of compromising Telangana’s legitimate rights over Krishna and Godavari waters for political interests, former Minister T Harish Rao demanded that the Congress government disclose the details of the meeting of the Chief Ministers of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on Tungabhadra water sharing.

The BRS Deputy Floor Leader said the Chief Minister’s lack of understanding of river water issues had become a serious threat to Telangana’s future.

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Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Harish Rao said the previous BRS government had fought relentlessly and secured approvals for major irrigation projects. In contrast, he alleged, the Congress government was surrendering Telangana’s interests before the Centre and neighbouring States.

He questioned the celebrations over the replacement of gates at the Tungabhadra Dam. Telangana’s real concern, he said, was securing its rightful share of river waters and not symbolic events.

Harish Rao said Karnataka was moving ahead with the proposed 35 TMC Naveli Reservoir upstream of the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS), while Andhra Pradesh was planning the 20 TMC Gundrevula Project downstream of the RDS. He said the two projects would enable the neighbouring States to impound nearly 55 TMC of water. This, he claimed, would severely affect inflows into the Srisailam Reservoir and jeopardise irrigation projects dependent on it, including the Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme and the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project.

“Despite these serious developments, the Telangana government failed to oppose either project or safeguard the State’s interests,” Harish Rao alleged.

He questioned whether the Chief Minister had secured any concrete assurance on Telangana’s rightful allocation of 15.90 TMC under the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, the permanent closure of unauthorised Andhra Pradesh outlets on the RDS, or repairs to the RDS canal system and dam. “Revanth Reddy should disclose what transpired during the closed-door meeting attended only by the Chief Ministers of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, along with a senior union Water Resources official,” Harish Rao demanded. He also questioned why Telangana Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior irrigation officials were reportedly kept out of the meeting.
The BRS leader alleged that Karnataka had already begun constructing three unauthorised barrages on the Tungabhadra River without statutory approvals.

“Why did the Telangana government neither object before the Centre nor approach the Krishna River Management Board despite construction progressing substantially?” he asked.

Harish Rao accused Revanth Reddy of remaining silent while neighbouring States proceeded with projects that were detrimental to Telangana’s water security. He recalled that the Gundrevula Project had earlier been stalled due to sustained objections raised by the previous BRS government.

He said Telangana had an allocation of 968 TMC of Godavari waters. The BRS government, he claimed, had secured approvals for projects utilising 383 TMC in nine-and-a-half years, apart from previously approved projects. In contrast, he alleged, the Congress government had failed to obtain approval for even one additional TMC in the last two-and-a-half years.

Harish Rao expressed concern over reports that the proposed Godavari river-linking plans could bypass Telangana’s interests and jeopardise projects such as Sammakka Sagar, which is expected to irrigate nearly four lakh acres in Warangal and Nalgonda districts. He further alleged that instead of securing approvals for Telangana’s pending projects, the State government was moving ahead with river-linking proposals that could ultimately benefit Andhra Pradesh at Telangana’s expense.

Harish Rao also questioned whether the Chief Minister had obtained any assurance on Telangana’s pending Godavari project clearances, the proposed river interlinking, or the protection of Telangana’s rightful allocations under the Krishna Tribunal. “The BRS will never remain silent if Telangana’s water rights are compromised,” Harish Rao asserted. He urged the Chief Minister to clarify whether Telangana’s 968 TMC Godavari entitlement, its 15.90 TMC allocation under the RDS, pending project approvals and the State’s interests in the proposed river-linking initiatives had been adequately protected.