Balka Suman accuses Congress of diverting attention with Tummidihatti barrage
Hyderabad: Former BRS MLA Balka Suman accused the Congress government of diverting attention from farmers’ distress through its proposed Tummidihatti barrage. He criticised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the irrigation minister over their recent talks with Maharashtra officials. Suman said the government had portrayed the discussions as a major achievement while crops continued to dry up.
Speaking at a media conference at BRS Bhavan, Suman alleged that the government had released available water downstream. He questioned its decision to now propose a barrage near Tummidihatti. Farmers, he said, were struggling with inadequate irrigation and electricity supplies. He accused the administration of shifting attention to a new project instead of addressing the immediate crisis.
Suman said former minister T. Harish Rao had already explained the issues surrounding Tummidihatti. He blamed the Congress government for the drought. Meanwhile, he accused ministers and Congress legislators of concentrating on attacks against BRS leaders Harish Rao and K. T. Rama Rao rather than addressing farmers’ concerns.
Suman questioned why the government had not activated the Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme. He argued that switching on the lifts could have supplied water to the districts concerned. Instead, he accused the administration of responding only after the situation had worsened.
He also criticised restrictions affecting paddy seed sales. According to Suman, officials had issued notices to seed shops against selling paddy seeds. Farmers purchasing the seeds had also received notices requiring self-declarations. He condemned the measures at a time when cultivators were already facing difficulties.
Tummidihatti barrage plan faces questions over water availability
Suman said the Kaleshwaram project had been designed to address drought across Telangana. However, the Congress government had proposed a barrage at Tummidihatti to supply water to East Adilabad. He questioned the plan’s feasibility, citing the Central Water Commission’s reported position that adequate water was unavailable at the proposed location.
The former MLA demanded details of the project, including its estimated cost and irrigation potential. He also called on the government to release the detailed project report (DPR) for the Tummidihatti barrage. Without these details, he questioned the basis for presenting the proposal as a solution to the state’s water problems.
Suman further criticised Telangana’s power situation. He alleged that coal shortages had disrupted electricity generation. He also accused both the Congress and BJP of failing to address the problem. As a result, he said, farmers faced further difficulties in securing water for their crops.
He challenged Congress MPs, MLAs and MLCs who had visited farmers’ fields during the BRS government to do the same under the current administration. Suman claimed that some Congress legislators themselves had complained about a lack of funds and water. He cited these complaints to question the government’s handling of irrigation and rural needs.
Suman also referred to social media jokes about Revanth Reddy’s absence during the Covid-19 pandemic. K. Kishore Goud, Gellu Srinivas Yadav and Kurva Vijay Kumar attended the media conference.