Mission Bhagiratha To Efface Fluoride Problem: TRS

Telangana Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy today alleged that apathy and conspiracy on the part of the previous Congress and TDP governments had led to the dreaded fluoride problem in Nalgonda district.

Participating in a program in the district, Reddy attributed the chronic problem to the "criminal negligence" of the united Andhra leaders. He said that the previous rulers had made deliberate attempts to deprive the Telangana region of water projects, and caused the collapse of minor irrigation tanks, leading to the problem. He said that the TRS government had come up with Mission Bhagiratha to overcome the fluoride problem.

He said that giving safe drinking waters to every household in the villages was KCR's brainchild and vision, and that the flagship program Mission Bhagiratha had been taken up to provide safe and potable water to the people. In conjunction with Mission Kakatiya, which was aimed at channelling waters to crops in villages to help minor irrigation, and which had led to lakes and water bodies in Telangana being filled to capacity, the scheme would play a big role in solving the water problems of the state, and the fluoride problem in Nalgonda, he said. Both the programs had been yielding positive results, he claimed.

Reddy said that for poverty alleviation, the Chief Minister was giving full encouragement to caste- and community-based professions such as fisheries and sheep rearing. Another important welfare measure was the supply of fine rice to hostels for students, he added.