BRS’ Harish Rao slams Revanth Reddy over remarks on farmers; demands immediate operation of Kannapalli, Devadula Pumps

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 12 (ANI): BRS leader Harish Rao launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy during a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, accusing him of using inflammatory language against political opponents while neglecting the state's irrigation needs amid drought conditions.
Rao described the Chief Minister's recent media interaction as "disturbing and unbecoming of a constitutional office", alleging that it reflected "lies, abusive language and a disturbing mindset".
He said that instead of responding to farmers' demand for irrigation water, the Chief Minister spoke about "spilling the blood of political opponents" and "beating them with belts", remarks which, according to Harish Rao, were shocking coming from a sitting Chief Minister.
"Farmers are asking for water, but the Chief Minister is talking about blood. Such language has no place in democracy," he said.
Harish Rao alleged that the Congress government was deliberately refusing to utilise available Godavari waters despite adequate inflows, solely to continue its political campaign against the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.
He stated that after BRS working president KT Rama Rao visited Medigadda and publicly demonstrated that Godavari carried sufficient water, the government's earlier claim that there was no water in the river stood exposed.
Referring to the Chief Minister's remarks regarding Kannapalli Pump House operations, Harish Rao said the Chief Minister had displayed a lack of understanding of the project's engineering design. He said that the Kannapalli pumps are capable of operating when water reaches 93.5 metres, while the present river level stands at 97.5 metres, making sa closure unnecessary.
He added that even Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy had to intervene during the Chief Minister's press conference to correct technical inaccuracies.
Rao further alleged that the government had changed its stand on retired irrigation engineers. While it had earlier described them as experts, it was now allegedly threatening action against them after they recommended lifting available Godavari water to protect farmers during drought conditions.
He clarified that retired engineers had never stated that Medigadda was technically unviable. Instead, he said, they had recommended transferring water through a series of barrages to Yellampalli, a position they had also submitted before the Justice Ghosh Commission.
According to Harish Rao, Irrigation Department officials themselves had informed the government that a temporary cofferdam costing approximately Rs 8.5 crore would enable immediate transfer of water to Yellampalli.
He alleged that despite these technical recommendations, the government continued to keep the pumps idle because operating the system would expose what he described as the Congress government's "misinformation campaign" against Kaleshwaram.
Rao also rejected the Chief Minister's claim that the Congress government had completed the Yellampalli Project.
He said that although the foundation stone was laid during the undivided Andhra Pradesh period, only limited land acquisition and rehabilitation had taken place before Telangana's formation.
According to him, the BRS government completed the remaining land acquisition, rehabilitated over 13,000 affected families, invested more than Rs 2,000 crore, and made the reservoir fully operational with its 20 TMC storage capacity after 2016.
He warned that Yellampalli currently held only about 4 to 5 TMC of usable water, after excluding dead storage, while the reservoir must support drinking water, thermal power generation, industries, Singareni operations and Hyderabad's water supply.
"If the government refuses to lift water because of political ego, thermal power generation could be affected and the state may face an avoidable power crisis," he cautioned.
Highlighting BRS's irrigation achievements, Rao stated that while the previous Congress government had irrigated only 6.64 lakh acres over ten years, the BRS government expanded irrigation to nearly 48.74 lakh acres through Kaleshwaram and completion of pending irrigation projects.
He noted that even in Mahabubnagar district, the Congress had irrigated only 46,000 acres over three decades, whereas the BRS government extended irrigation to nearly 6.5 lakh acres.
Harish Rao also credited former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's policies, including 24-hour free power supply, Rythu Bandhu and expanded irrigation, for the dramatic increase in paddy production.
He said Telangana's paddy output increased from 68 lakh metric tonnes in 2014-15 to nearly 2.60 crore metric tonnes by 2023-24, while cultivated paddy area expanded from 34 lakh acres to 1.18 crore acres.
He dismissed the government's claims that retaining water in Annaram and Sundilla barrages would endanger Bhadrachalam, describing them as technically baseless.
According to Harish Rao, even if both barrages simultaneously released their stored water, the discharge would be insignificant compared to the 28 lakh cusec flood safely handled in 2022.
Responding to repeated allegations of corruption in the Kaleshwaram Project, Harish Rao rejected the Chief Minister's claim that Rs 1 lakh crore had been spent.
He stated that the total project expenditure stood at around Rs 87,000 crore, of which only about 10 per cent related to the Medigadda Yellampalli stretch, while the remaining infrastructure, including reservoirs, canals, tunnels and pumping stations, continued to function.
Rao also criticised the government's handling of irrigation infrastructure over the past two and a half years, citing incidents including the collapse of the SLBC tunnel, the Sunkishala project, flooding of the Vattem Pump House and damage to the Peddavagu Project.
He questioned why officials associated with the Polavaram Project, where repeated structural failures reportedly caused losses of around Rs 7,000 crore, were now being relied upon to assess Medigadda.
Harish Rao further alleged that instead of utilising available Godavari water through Kannapalli, Devadula and Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Projects, the Congress government was allowing water to flow downstream, indirectly benefiting Andhra Pradesh's Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme.
He accused the Chief Minister of placing political considerations above Telangana's irrigation interests.
Referring to corruption allegations, Harish Rao alleged that commission payments had become institutionalised under the present government and cited statements made by the Prime Minister regarding alleged "RR Tax".
He also criticised the government's handling of law and order following the recent multiple murder case at Shabad, alleging that senior officials had failed to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
Concluding the press conference, Harish Rao appealed to the government to set aside political differences and immediately operate the Kannapalli and Devadula pumping systems.
"I am prepared to face arrest or any action if that satisfies the Chief Minister. But do not sacrifice Telangana's farmers for political ego. Turn on the pumps immediately and protect the standing crops. Take all the credit if you wish but save the farmers," he said. (ANI)