Telangana does not need Andhra’s water; We need our own share, says KCR

Despite all efforts from the State, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the so-called 'Vishwaguru', did not pay heed to the State’s demand to help determine its share of river waters, KCR said.

Hyderabad: Tearing into both the Congress and the BJP for the backwardness of Palamuru and its scramble for water that was left unaddressed for decades, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao asserted on Saturday that Telangana had never craved for any water from the share of Andhra Pradesh. It was all the time fighting for its own share of water to be determined in earnest to shape its own future by attending to the needs of its water-starved pockets.

Addressing a massive public meeting at Narlapur after inaugurating the drinking water component of the multi-stage Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, he said the continued woes of the new State owed to the BJP that was in power for the last 10 years at the Centre. Despite all efforts from the State, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the so-called ‘Vishwaguru’, did not pay heed to the State’s demand to help determine its share of river waters.

---

All that the State needed for making out its share of river waters was a letter from the Prime Minister to the Tribunal. The BJP leaders should have pursued it vigorously if they were sincere to the cause of the State. Referring to BJP activists who tried come in the way of his convoy on the way to Narlapur, he said they were out to scuttle the progress of the State instead. The Congress party, which failed to safeguard the interests of Telangana in the undivided State, was also out to play a bigger disruptive role.

Sounding a word of caution to the people to be wary of forces that could derail the State from the path of its progress, he said he was overwhelmed with a great sense of fulfillment after witnessing a huge volume of water surging out of the delivery cistern at Anjanagiri reservoir. With just one pump in operation, the volume of flow was similar to that of a huge stream. One can image the impact of all the eight pumps at the Stage One pumping station in operation simultaneously, he said.

“I felt overjoyed today with the realization of water for Palamuru as much as the day Telangana attained Statehood. I could realise the dream of a separate Telangana while being a Member of Parliament representing Mahabubnagar. I was emboldened and shaped into a crusader by the people of this region and hence I remain committed to the cause of Palamuru,” he said, adding that it was indeed a golden letter day in the history of the State.

However, there was still a long way to go in the process of transformation. Over 20 lakh acres spread over 14 assembly constituencies in the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district should get water to quench its thirst and that day was not far. The State was way ahead compared to many other States on several counts. The growth story should continue and that will be possible only by continuing the fight with the same unity to realise the avowed goals of the State, he said.

Chandrashekhar Rao said the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift scheme would have been a reality at least three to four years earlier but for the hurdles posed more by the enemies within the State. In an obvious reference to Congress leaders, he said they failed on all aspects to protect Telangana in the undivided State. They failed to raise their voice before the Bachawat Tribunal on the injustice meted out to Telangana. The Jurala project was a reality today, thanks to the mercy of the Judges of the Tribunal, he said.