Hyderabad's political waters churned on Sunday as Telangana's Irrigation Minister, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, launched a sharp critique against former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). The minister alleged that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief had severely damaged the state's irrigation infrastructure during his decade-long rule, leaving key projects incomplete and farmers in distress.
Allegations of Mismanagement and Project Failures
At a press conference, Uttam Kumar Reddy questioned KCR's recent statements on irrigation, stating the former CM had "bulldozed" the irrigation system. He demanded to know why pivotal projects like the Dindi and the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) schemes remained unfinished under the BRS regime, leaving the people of Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts awaiting answers.
The minister presented a litany of alleged failures. He claimed that despite an enormous expenditure of approximately ₹1.81 lakh crore on irrigation projects, the intended beneficiaries—the farmers—did not see tangible benefits. Reddy pointed to the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, once touted as Telangana's lifeline, which suffered significant setbacks. Three barrages were damaged, and one block of the Medigadda barrage collapsed, with faults identified by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and other agencies.
Unfinished Schemes and Interstate Water Disputes
Reddy provided specific instances of stalled progress. He revealed that the detailed project report for the Palamuru–Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) was returned by the Centre on April 12, 2023, while the BRS was still in power, contradicting any attempts to blame the subsequent Congress government. He also stated that a crucial apex council meeting to resolve Krishna water sharing issues with Andhra Pradesh was postponed due to KCR.
The irrigation minister accused the previous government of turning a blind eye to water diversion. During the BRS regime, about 1,440 tmcft of Krishna water was allegedly diverted illegally by Andhra Pradesh, compared to 720 tmcft earlier. He also noted that Andhra Pradesh initiated the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) while KCR was the Chief Minister of Telangana.
Congress Government's Corrective Actions
Uttam Kumar Reddy outlined the steps taken by the current Congress administration to rectify what he termed the BRS's mistakes. He emphasized that the government is now sincerely fighting for Telangana's rights over Krishna waters, having filed cases in the Supreme Court against projects like Polavaram, Bankacherla, and Nallamala Sagar.
On the financial front, the minister highlighted a significant restructuring of debt. He stated that the previous administration had borrowed around ₹96,000 crore at a high-interest rate of 11%, which the current government has managed to restructure at a reduced rate of 7%. He asserted that the Congress government is now actively working to complete the PRLIS and SLBC projects, having already spent about ₹7,000 crore on PRLIS.
Reddy concluded by reaffirming the state's commitment to securing its water share, stating that the government has formally requested 45 tmcft each from the Krishna and Godavari rivers, as per existing government orders, and is actively pursuing the state's hydraulic interests.
