KCR Destroyed Entire Irrigation Sector In Telangana: Revanth Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy today came down heavily on former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao stating that Telangana was meted out more injustice in the irrigation sector during the ten years of the BRS regime than in the period of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh rulers.

Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat, Reddy along with Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and Forests and Environment Minister Konda Surekha said that KCR had destroyed the entire Telangana State on the irrigation front, and had maintained silence even though the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh was drawing water illegally from the Krishna river.

He challenged KCR to come for a discussion in the Assembly on the irrigation projects instead of going to Nalgonda district for staging a protest.

"Let's discuss the irrigation issues for two days and release a white paper. If two days are not enough, let's extend the sessions. I request KCR, his son K T Rama Rao, his son-in-law Harish Rao and daughter Kavitha to come for the debate on the subject. If they are honest and sincere, then they should attend the Assembly and take part in the debate for disclosing the facts to the people of Telangana," Reddy said.

"The foundation for handing over the irrigation projects to the Centre was laid when K Chandrashekar Rao was a Member of the Lok Sabha. He did not make any objection to the proposal at that time, and actually voted in favour of passing the law," Reddy alleged.

"The Centre constituted a committee to decide on the sharing of 811 TMCs of Krishna river waters between the two Telugu States, and proposed giving 512 TMCs to Andhra Pradesh and 299 TMCs to Telangana. The then chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao and irrigation minister Harish Rao, instead of demanding a 50% share in the Krishna river waters, agreed and signed the agreement, facilitating more water to Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, they agreed to hand over 15 Telangana irrigation projects to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) in 2022," Reddy said.

"In addition to this, KCR had a tacit understanding with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and mortgaged the rights of Telangana by allowing 8 TMC of water per day to AP through the Rayalaseema lift irrigation project," Reddy claimed.

Minister for Irrigation Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated that Telangana's irrigation projects would not be handed over to the KRMB.

"KCR spent thousands of crores for the construction of irrigation projects, but couldn't provide irrigation for even a single acre. He destroyed everything in terms of projects and has no right to speak on the projects," Uttam Kumar Reddy said.