Hyderabad: Former minister and BRS leader G Jagadish Reddy blamed the Congress government’s alleged negligence for Telangana drought conditions. He made the allegation during the BRS mock Assembly at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad.
Jagadish Reddy said Telangana had faced injustice over water allocation during the undivided Andhra Pradesh. He claimed the Kaleshwaram project had significantly changed irrigation conditions across the state.
He also alleged that Andhra Pradesh had illegally diverted Srisailam water through Pothireddypadu. According to Jagadish Reddy, the diversion had affected Telangana’s water interests.
The BRS leader credited former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao with bringing two crore acres under cultivation during the BRS government. He also cited Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha as major initiatives of the previous government.
Telangana drought debate focuses on irrigation and water diversion
Jagadish Reddy said Kaleshwaram water reached nine erstwhile districts. He claimed all the erstwhile districts except Mahabubnagar received water from the project.
In addition, he said Kaleshwaram water had overflowed in parts of Suryapet district. He also accused Congress governments of causing the fluoride problem in the erstwhile Nalgonda district.
Jagadish Reddy said the BRS government tackled the fluoride problem after KCR came to power. He also criticised the Congress government over the maintenance of Kaleshwaram project canals.
According to him, the previous government opened the left canal gates before opening the right canal gates. He alleged that the current government followed the reverse sequence.
Meanwhile, Jagadish Reddy alleged that Andhra Pradesh was diverting water illegally from Pothireddypadu through Velugonda. He further claimed that thousands of cusecs of water from Kannnepalli had flowed into the sea.
He said 150 TMC of water had already reached the sea. Jagadish Reddy again blamed the Congress government’s alleged negligence for the drought conditions in Telangana.
The BRS held the mock Assembly at Telangana Bhavan, where former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav played the chief minister’s role. Zaheerabad MLA Manik Rao acted as the Speaker, while BRS members protested with placards over public issues.