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KCR unveils irrigation scheme, slams Centre
Telangana will construct irrigation projects on the river waters within its share allocated by tribunals and not crave for any water allocated to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, chief minister Rao said
Hyderabad Telangana chief minister on Saturday inaugurated the Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme (PRLIS) at Narlapur in Nagarkurnool district.
Telangana will construct irrigation projects on the river waters within its share allocated by tribunals and not crave for any water allocated to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, chief minister Rao said on Saturday.
Addressing a public rally at Narlapur in Nagarkurnool district after switching on the motor for release of water from multi-stage PRLIS, the second largest lift scheme in the country being constructed on Krishna river, KCR blamed the previous governments that ruled the combined Andhra Pradesh state for the irrigation woes of the southern Telangana, particularly erstwhile combined Mahabubnagar district.
“For the last nine years after the formation of Telangana state, we have been fighting for our own share of water to be determined by the tribunals at the earliest, so that we can utilise it for meeting the irrigation and drinking water requirements of the state,” KCR, as the chief minister is popularly called, said.
The chief minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre for not addressing the issue of irrigation requirements of the newly-formed Telangana state. “Despite repeated appeals and representations, the Narendra Modi government has not heed to the state’s demand to help determine its share of river waters,” he said.
He said the issue would have been resolved by now had the Prime Minister written a letter to the Krishna water disputes tribunal. “If the state BJP leaders are sincere, they should pursue the matter,” he said.
KCR appealed to the people to be wary of forces that could derail the state from the path of its progress. The PRLIS would have been a reality at least three to four years earlier but for the hurdles posed more by the enemies within the state, he added.
The chief minister said with the completion of the first stage of PRLIS, his dream had been fulfilled. “I could realise the dream of a separate Telangana while being a Member of Parliament representing Mahabubnagar. By completing the PRLIS project, I am happy that I could fulfil my promise,” he said, adding that the project still has a long way to go before completion.
The Congress and the BJP spokespersons could not be reached for their reactions.
