Turn on Kaleshwaram motors or face farmers’ wrath, Harish Rao warns Govt

BRS leader T Harish Rao accused the Telangana government of criminal negligence for not lifting Godavari water despite heavy inflows. He warned of a farmers’ march to the Kannepalli pumphouse and alleged CM Revanth Reddy was favouring Andhra Pradesh over Telangana farmers.

Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader and former Minister T Harish Rao said the Revanth Reddy government was deliberately avoiding lifting water from Godavari River using the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. He pointed out that despite receiving huge inflows from upstream in both Godavari and Krishna rivers, the government was not using the existing mechanism to provide water to farmers.

“Turn on the motors now, fill the reservoirs and give water to farmers. If the delay continues, we will march to Kannepalli pumphouse with lakhs of farmers and switch on the motors ourselves,” he declared.

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Addressing mediapersons at Telangana Bhavan on Sunday, Harish Rao slammed the government for remaining in “switch-off mode” despite abundant rainfall in upper riparian States like Maharashtra and Karnataka. Water levels in the Krishna River had surged unusually early in May, offering a rare opportunity to irrigate two crop cycles, but the Congress government failed to fill the reservoirs, canals and tanks, he said.

The former Irrigation Minister pointed out that water was flowing at 73,000 cusecs at Medigadda barrage, with the water level at Kannepalli pumphouse at 96 m against a minimum draw down level (MDDL) of 93.5 m. However, the motors at Kannepalli remained idle, he said. Reminding that Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy had announced that both the Annaram and Sundilla barrages were safe, he asked the government to explain reasons for not lifting the water.

He accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his Ministers of being more focused on vilifying the BRS than solving real problems. “If you have a grudge against us, take it out on us. But why make the farmers suffer, despite having abundant water?” he asked.

Harish Rao reiterated that with timely action, irrigation water could be supplied to lakhs of acres in 15 districts. “The gates are open, water is flowing, and yet the State government sits idle. This is nothing short of criminal negligence,” he said, demanding that the government initiate immediate corrective measures.

The senior BRS MLA stated that despite huge inflows in Krishna River as well, the government did not switch on motors at the Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme as well. He demanded that the government explain why motors were not switched on at Kalwakurthy, despite receiving flood at Srisailam project more than a month ago. He asked whether the government would switch on the motors or the BRS should do it.

“Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is consistently ignoring the irrigation needs of Telangana farmers. Instead, he is showing loyalty to his mentor and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by letting the water flow downstream, without filling the existing reservoirs in Telangana,” he added.