Cong spreading misinformation on Kaleshwaram to distract from failures: Harish
Hyderabad: Accusing the Congress govt of spreading misinformation and diverting attention from facts about the
Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme
(KLIS), former irrigation minister and senior BRS leader T Harish Rao asserted that the previous BRS regime had made major strides in Telangana's irrigation sector.
He alleged that the Congress govt, in its 18 months in power, has mismanaged the sector and is now levelling baseless allegations to cover its inefficiencies. Harish Rao made these remarks at the launch of two books — 'Kaleshwaram Project: Questions–Criticisms–Distortions–Clarifications' and 'A Decade of Telangana's Journey in Irrigation' — authored by irrigation expert Sridhar Rao Deshpande here on Friday.
Defending the decisions taken during the planning and execution of KLIS, he said the location of the Medigadda barrage, project cost, and related aspects were finalised after thorough consultations with experts. "Both WAPCOS and the committee of retired irrigation engineers never objected to the Medigadda barrage site. Their observations were limited to the pumping methodology—not the barrage itself," he clarified.
Targeting the Congress, Harish Rao said the foundation for the Pranahitha-Chevella project was laid in 2004 during YS Rajasekhara Reddy's tenure, but not a single significant step was taken in a decade. "Now, the Congress levels corruption charges against the BRS, but it was their own govt that paid ₹2,700 crore in mobilisation advances without executing any work," he said.
He also addressed the misinformation surrounding survey costs. "The state govt released ₹6.77 crore towards survey expenses for the Kaleshwaram project. However, some media outlets irresponsibly reported it as ₹677 crore," he said. He further dismissed the claim that gravity flow from Thummidihatti to Yellampally was possible, stating that lift irrigation would have been necessary even there. "Critics falsely claim we used lift technology unnecessarily at Medigadda," he said.
Highlighting KLIS achievements, Harish Rao said the project created 18.27 lakh acres of new ayacut and stabilised irrigation for 18.87 lakh acres—benefiting over 37 lakh acres in total. "We built reservoirs with a capacity of 141 tmc to secure future water needs," he claimed.
Responding to criticism of the Mallanna Sagar reservoir, he pointed out that while Congress continues to vilify it, the same govt is drawing drinking water for Hyderabad from the very reservoir. "You are issuing tenders to use Mallanna Sagar's water and yet claiming Kaleshwaram has collapsed," he remarked.
Turning to Krishna river water usage, Harish Rao said Telangana had used 36% of Krishna waters under BRS rule, compared to only 27% under Congress. "Despite being entitled to 34%, they couldn't even fully utilise that," he said, adding that Andhra Pradesh used 715 tmc, while Telangana managed only 275 tmc.
He demanded that the Congress govt raise the issue with the Krishna River Management Board and call for an Apex Council meeting under the Union jal shakti minister, as mandated by the AP Reorganisation Act. "Why is Congress silent while AP is planning to divert Godavari waters through the Jalaharathi project," he asked.
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