“Switch on Bahubali pumps, provide water to farmers”: KTR to Telangana govt

Jangaon (Telangana) [India], July 5 (ANI): Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K T Rama Rao (KTR) on Sunday warned that the party would lay siege to the Kannepalli Pump House with "50,000 to 60,000 people" if the Telangana government continued to ignore the interests of farmers and failed to utilise the available Godavari waters.
Leading a BRS delegation to the Kannepalli Pump House in Bhupalpally district to inspect the alleged wastage of water, KTR accused the state government of failing to operate the pumping infrastructure to provide irrigation benefits to farmers.
Addressing a press conference during the visit, KTR said, "The party would lay siege to the Kannepalli Pump House with 50,000 to 60,000 people if the government continued to ignore the interests of Telangana's farmers and refused to utilise the available Godavari waters."
He further warned the government to immediately operationalise the pumps. "Switch on the Bahubali pumps and provide water to farmers. If the government fails to act, we will march to Kannepalli, lay siege to the Pump House and ensure that the pumps are switched on," KTR said.
Earlier in the day, KTR, along with senior BRS leaders, headed to the Kannepalli Pump House as part of the party's inspection visit.
The BRS alleged that police attempted to stop vehicles carrying party leaders, workers and farmers travelling to the site. According to the party, police also blocked KTR's convoy at Pembarthi by placing barricades on the highway, resulting in a heated argument between BRS leaders and police personnel.
He demanded that the Congress government immediately operate the Kannepalli Pump House and lift Godavari waters to protect Telangana from an impending drought, warning that the State could face a severe water crisis due to the combined impact of El Nino, deficient rainfall and government inaction.
After inspecting the Kannepalli Pump House, KTR said 26 out of Telangana's 33 districts are already facing drought-like conditions, while lakhs of cusecs of Godavari water continue to flow wastefully into the sea because the government has failed to utilise the existing Kaleshwaram infrastructure.
He accused the Congress government of displaying complete apathy towards farmers despite repeated warnings from weather experts about El Nino and below-normal rainfall. "Instead of preparing for a drought and protecting agriculture, the government is allowing precious water to go to waste while farmers suffer," he said.
KTR urged the government to immediately restart the Kannepalli pumps and fill reservoirs to provide irrigation and drinking water across Telangana. He alleged that the government was deliberately withholding water as it feared the financial responsibility of procuring larger harvests, supplying fertilisers and paying bonuses to farmers.
Criticising the government's handling of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, KTR rejected allegations of corruption and demanded that repairs be completed without further delay. He said the project, built under the leadership of the former Chief Minister, remained fully capable of supplying water if operated properly. (ANI)