Speak up on RLIS now, Vemula to AP Ministers

Says KRMB's directions to AP to stop RLIS works clears the air surrounding project's legality

Hyderabad: In the wake of the Krishna River Management Board’s (KRMB) directions to the Andhra Pradesh government to halt the illegal construction of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS), Minister V Prashanth Reddy on Thursday sought a response from his AP counterparts on the issue.

Upping the ante against the AP government, the Roads and Buildings Minister said: “The directions issued by the KRMB clear the air surrounding the legality of the RLIS. We demand that the AP government stop the works immediately at least now.”

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Addressing the media here, the Minister said a week after the AP government issued orders for the construction of the RLIS, the Telangana government had appealed to the KRMB seeking its intervention to stop the unauthorised project. This was followed by another letter in July 2020. Since February this year, seven letters were written to the board and the Central government on the issue, he pointed out.

Taking a dig at Telangana Congress leaders, the Minister reminded that when former Chief Minister YS Rajashekhar Reddy was diverting the Krishna waters, the then Minister DK Aruna had offered ‘harathi’ (traditional welcome) to YSR while the then Irrigation Minister P Laxmaiah performed puja at the site.

“As a Telangana Minister, I will definitely find fault with late YSR’s discrimination towards Telangana. He will never be considered a father figure in Telangana,” Prashanth Reddy said. He further pointed out that it was during the Congress regime in undivided AP that the Pothireddypadu canal capacity was increased four-fold. Opposing the Pothireddypadu’s expansion, the TRS had severed its ties with the Congress government, he explained.

“Why are the State Congress leaders not taking a legal course over the unauthorised irrigation projects being taken up by the AP government when they could approach the courts over the Mallanna Sagar project?” he asked.

He also wondered as to why State BJP leaders are not opposing AP’s illegal irrigation projects.

Nagarkurnool MLA Marri Janardhan Reddy and Achampet MLA and Government Whip G Balaraju said if the AP government continues with the RLIS and Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme right canal works, it would affect Telangana adversely.

Also read:

KRMB considers TS objection, instructs AP govt to stop construction

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