Hyderabad: Former minister and BRS MLA T. Harish Rao on Monday challenged Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy to establish the feasibility of the proposed Tummidihatti gravity link to Yellampalli without pumping water.
Harish Rao offered to resign from the Legislative Assembly if the government demonstrated that water could reach Yellampalli from Tummidihatti entirely through gravity. He also challenged Uttam Kumar Reddy to resign if the proposal proved technically unfeasible.
Speaking to reporters at Telangana Bhavan on October 26, Harish Rao demanded that the Congress government release the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Tummidihatti project.
Harish Rao questions Tummidihatti gravity link feasibility
Harish Rao raised the issue following Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He questioned the government’s claim regarding the possibility of conveying water from Tummidihatti to Yellampalli without pumping.
The BRS leader demanded technical evidence supporting the proposal and called for public disclosure of the project’s DPR. He maintained that the government should establish whether the proposed gravity-based water transfer was practically achievable.
Harish Rao linked his resignation challenge directly to the government’s ability to demonstrate the project’s feasibility. Conversely, he asked Uttam Kumar Reddy to accept the same condition if the proposal could not work.
BRS MLA questions irrigation pump operations
Harish Rao also criticised the Congress government’s management of irrigation projects and available water resources. He claimed that Andhra Pradesh had recorded a greater rainfall deficit than Telangana but had not experienced a comparable crop holiday.
Questioning the situation in Telangana, he alleged that inadequate operation of irrigation pumps had worsened agricultural distress. “Had the pumps at Devadula been operated, Warangal district would not have faced drought. Despite the availability of water in Srisailam, why was it not lifted?” he asked.
He also alleged that the government was operating only two of the five motors at the Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Project. According to him, those two motors were functioning for just two hours.
Harish Rao sought an explanation for the limited pumping operations despite the reported availability of water. The former minister demanded a white paper detailing pump operations at the Devadula and Kalwakurthy irrigation projects.
He sought information on the quantities of water Andhra Pradesh was drawing from the Srisailam reservoir. Additionally, he asked the government to disclose how much water Telangana had lifted from the same reservoir.
Harish Rao questioned why authorities had not lifted water at Kannepalli despite having an opportunity to do so. He alleged that the government’s failure to utilise available irrigation infrastructure had contributed to water shortages affecting farmers.
“This is not a drought caused by nature; it is undoubtedly a drought created by the Congress government,” he alleged. The BRS MLA maintained that the government should account for its decisions regarding pumping operations and irrigation water distribution.
Harish Rao criticises Revanth Reddy’s Maharashtra visit
Referring to the Chief Minister’s discussions with Devendra Fadnavis, Harish Rao accused the Congress government of delaying negotiations with Maharashtra. He recalled that the previous BRS government had initiated discussions with Maharashtra within 42 days of assuming office in 2014.
In contrast, he claimed that Revanth Reddy had approached Maharashtra only after completing 1,000 days in office. “Revanth Reddy, however, held talks with Maharashtra only after completing 1,000 days in office. After wasting three years, he has now gone to Maharashtra,” he criticised.
Harish Rao connected the Maharashtra discussions with his demand for clarity on the Tummidihatti gravity link and its technical feasibility. He reiterated his demand for the government to release the DPR and establish whether water could reach Yellampalli without pumping.