Joorala-to-Pakala Water Diversion Plan Sparks Outrage: BJP Leader Warns of Mass Agitation in Palamuru
Gadwal: Joorala-to-Pakala Proposal Sparks Fresh Controversy: BJP Leader S. Ramachandra Reddy Warns of Mass Agitation
Jogulamba Gadwal, Telangana – The long-dormant proposal to divert water from the Joorala project to the Pakala reservoir has once again resurfaced, triggering strong opposition from regional political leaders and farmers. Former Jogulamba Gadwal District BJP President S. Ramachandra Reddy has expressed serious concern over Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's recent remarks at a high-level engineering officials' meeting regarding this contentious proposal.
Speaking at a local gathering, Ramachandra Reddy questioned the logic and feasibility of transferring water from the Krishna Basin to the Godavari Basin, especially when over 1,000 TMCs of water flow unused into the sea from the Godavari River annually. He pointed out that rather than tapping into the Godavari River, which flows near Pakala, the proposal illogically suggests transporting water over 400 kilometers from Joorala.
He emphasized that critical irrigation projects within the undivided Mahabubnagar (Palamuru) region, such as RDS (Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme), Nettempadu, Gattu, Bheema, Koilsagar, Kalwakurthy, and Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project, remain incomplete. Reddy argued that proposing a new inter-basin transfer project without first completing these long-pending schemes is not only impractical but also unjust to the farmers of the region.
"How can the government justify a new plan involving an expenditure of nearly Rs. 2 lakh crores, when the existing projects haven't even been completed?" he asked, adding that this approach undermines the decades-long irrigation struggles of the region.
Recalling the year 2014, when a similar proposal was first introduced, Ramachandra Reddy said, 'Back then, massive protests were launched across all constituencies of the undivided Mahabubnagar district, and we are prepared to do it again if necessary.'
He called upon the state government to immediately complete all existing irrigation projects in the region, including extending RDS to its tail-end ayacut and ensuring the completion of Nettempadu, Gattu, Bheema, Koilsagar, Kalwakurthy, and Palamuru-Rangareddy projects.
Failing that, he warned, the BJP along with local farmers and the public will initiate a large-scale agitation to protect the district's water rights and development interests.
The meeting witnessed participation from several prominent local leaders, including Aija Town and Mandal BJP Presidents Kompati Bhagat Reddy and Gopalakrishna, as well as Lakshman Goud, Nagaraju, and other activists.
This development marks a critical moment in the region's water politics, as voices grow louder for prioritizing local irrigation needs over grand inter-basin proposals.
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