Hyderabad: BJP senior leader Gudur Narayana Reddy on Saturday demanded immediate clearance of pending dues under the Nrusimha Sagar compensation demand, stating that displaced families were yet to receive full benefits.
He said the Nrusimha Sagar Reservoir, earlier called Basavapur Reservoir, was completed in 2023 in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district under the Kaleshwaram project. However, the Nrusimha Sagar compensation demand remained unresolved, leaving the project unused despite its storage capacity of about 11.39 TMC.
Narayana Reddy said the reservoir had not been utilised to serve downstream areas due to pending compensation and rehabilitation issues. He added that both land acquisition payments and relief and rehabilitation packages were yet to be fully cleared.
Nrusimha Sagar compensation demand highlights unpaid dues
The BJP leader said significant compensation remained pending under the Nrusimha Sagar compensation demand. He cited dues of about ₹150 crore for B N Timmapur village, ₹100 crore for Chokla Naik Thanda, and ₹7.5 crore linked to the HLMC canal in Bhongir.
He said evacuation of affected families would not be possible unless compensation was paid in full. As a result, the project could not become operational.
Narayana Reddy said the reservoir depended on gravity-based filling and could be effectively used when water availability in the Godavari river was adequate. He added that constituencies such as Bhongir, Alair, Nakrekal, and parts of Nalgonda would benefit from irrigation and drinking water supply.
Nrusimha Sagar compensation demand targets project delays
Criticising the Congress government, Narayana Reddy said large quantities of water from the Godavari were flowing into the sea despite availability. He said this led to wastage of both water and public funds while existing projects remained underutilised.
He said displaced families from B S Timmapur and Chokla Naik Thanda had waited for years for compensation. Many families, he added, received only partial payments, while others received none.
Narayana Reddy said assurances given during land acquisition, including land-for-land, housing plots, and full rehabilitation support, were not fulfilled. Consequently, affected families continued to face hardship.
He said delays in compensation stalled rehabilitation and prevented the project from delivering benefits. The situation, he added, created both prolonged suffering for families and underuse of a major irrigation asset.
Nrusimha Sagar compensation demand extends to development plans
Narayana Reddy urged the State government to clear all pending dues immediately and complete rehabilitation measures. He said the reservoir should be operationalised to meet irrigation and drinking water needs.
Narayana Reddy warned that further delay would increase hardship and continue wastage of water resources and public funds. He also called for improved connectivity to boost tourism and employment in the region.
Referring to earlier remarks by Jupally Krishna Rao, he said Nrusimha Sagar could be developed into a tourism hub and wedding destination. However, he added that this would require proper roads, approach routes, and essential infrastructure.