Hyderabad: Former minister Harish Rao said the Kaleshwaram project reports from NDSA and CWPRS had demolished the Congress government’s claims against the project. He demanded that the government start lifting Godavari water and supply it to farmers.
In a press note, Harish Rao said the NDSA affidavit and CWPRS report had contradicted the Congress campaign against Kaleshwaram. He said Congress had repeatedly claimed that the entire project had collapsed and could no longer lift water. However, he said those claims were now falling apart one after another.
According to Harish Rao, the NDSA affidavit stated that water could be lifted from Kaleshwaram depending on requirements.
He also cited the CWPRS examination of the Annaram and Sundilla barrages. He said it found no structural problem in any block at the two barrages. Moreover, he said the examination found the concrete quality to be good.
Harish Rao accused the Revanth Reddy government of keeping Kaleshwaram aside because of political hostility. Consequently, he alleged, Godavari water available to Telangana had flowed downstream without being utilised.
He described the government’s handling of the available water as “criminal negligence.”
Kaleshwaram project reports trigger water management demand
Harish Rao alleged that the government had harmed Telangana farmers by refusing to lift water while blaming the Kaleshwaram project.
He said the government had allowed water to flow towards Andhra Pradesh instead of using it for Telangana. According to him, the government started the Devadula and Nandi pumps only after the BRS questioned its approach.
However, he said much of the floodwater had already flowed downstream by then. He accused the government of starting the pumps too late and switching them off soon afterwards. Harish Rao said the government had allowed water to Andhra Pradesh while leaving Telangana farmers without adequate water.
He also cited reservoir storage figures to support his criticism. According to him, reservoirs across India had an average storage level of 64.16%. In contrast, he said Telangana reservoirs had only 35.6% storage. He argued that the situation had not resulted from a natural disaster.
Instead, Harish Rao blamed what he described as the Congress government’s failure in water management. He claimed Telangana had emerged as a national example in water management during the BRS government. However, he said the state was now competing with Bihar in reservoir storage levels.
Harish Rao blamed the situation on the government allowing Godavari and Krishna waters to flow downstream despite strong inflows.
Kaleshwaram project reports cited in call to lift Godavari water
The BRS leader questioned why the government had focused on commissions and inquiries while failing to capture available river water. He asked why similar attention had not been given to using Godavari and Krishna waters for Telangana farmers.
Harish Rao said opposition parties and engineers had warned the government about the impact of El Niño and possible future drought conditions. He alleged that the government had failed to act despite those warnings.
He said the government should have taken precautionary measures to protect the state’s water interests. “This is not the time for political vendetta. It is time to protect Telangana’s water interests,” Harish Rao said.
He asked the Congress to set aside its internal disputes and focus on project management, water rights and farmers’ interests. Harish Rao also demanded that the government stop what he called misinformation against the Kaleshwaram project.
Further, he asked the government to switch on the motors at Annaram and Sundilla and lift Godavari water. He said the available water should be used to fill reservoirs and provide irrigation to farmers’ fields.
Harish Rao maintained that the Kaleshwaram project reports had answered the allegations made against the project. He urged the government to prioritise water supply to farmers instead of political disputes.