Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday announced that his government would order an inquiry into the decision of the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government headed by K Chandrasekhar Rao to change the source of Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme (PRLIS) on Krishna River from Jurala to Srisailam backwaters.
Speaking to reporters after irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy made a PowerPoint presentation on irrigation projects at Praja Bhavan for public representatives, Revanth Reddy accused the previous BRS government of prioritising commissions over public interest in the execution of the PRLIS.
He alleged that instead of drawing water from Jurala, the project source was shifted to Srisailam, leading to a dramatic escalation in costs and technical complexity. Because water was lifted from Srisailam, the number of stages increased from three to five, pumps from 22 to 37, and the project cost ballooned from ₹32,000 crore to ₹84,000 crore, he said.
“The water was drawn from the ‘tail end’ rather than the ‘head reach’, further complicating operations. Moreover, KCR had not secured the cabinet approval for changing the project source from Jurala to Srisailam and is now avoiding the assembly fearing exposure of these decisions. Our government will conduct an inquiry into this matter,” he asserted.
Highlighting the disparity in utilisation of Krishna waters between the two Telugu states, the chief minister said Andhra Pradesh had created infrastructure to draw up to 13.37 TMC ft of water per day, while Telangana was unable to draw even 0.25 TMC ft daily under existing arrangements.
{{/usCountry}}Highlighting the disparity in utilisation of Krishna waters between the two Telugu states, the chief minister said Andhra Pradesh had created infrastructure to draw up to 13.37 TMC ft of water per day, while Telangana was unable to draw even 0.25 TMC ft daily under existing arrangements.
{{/usCountry}}He alleged that the BRS government had obtained permission for only 7.15 TMC ft by branding PRLIS as a drinking water project, primarily to clear contractors’ bills for pumps and lift systems. “Our government has sought approval for 45 TMC ft for the project. Once all statutory clearances are obtained, the Centre will release funds,” he said.
Revanth Reddy alleged that KCR was launching motivated criticism to cover up past “grave mistakes” committed during his tenure on river water allocations. “Telangana itself was formed to secure its rightful water share. We are correcting historical injustices and fighting for Telangana’s legitimate rights,” he said, accusing the BRS leadership of adopting a “narrow and deceptive” approach.
The chief minister recalled that water sharing arrangements between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were finalised after KCR became Telangana chief minister and N Chandrababu Naidu took charge in Andhra Pradesh.
He alleged that KCR had signed an agreement consenting to the allocation of 299 TMC of net waters to Telangana and 511 TMC to Andhra Pradesh, effectively conceding permanent rights over Krishna waters to Andhra Pradesh.
Revanth Reddy further alleged that the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal process was being stalled by Andhra Pradesh, and said Telangana was forcefully arguing that allocations should be based on catchment area, demanding a 79% share for Telangana and 21% for Andhra Pradesh.
“We are seeking a total allocation of 555 TMC for Telangana. Our strong arguments have left Andhra Pradesh rattled,” he claimed.
Reacting to the chief minister’s comments, BRS working president and former minister K T Rama Rao said Revanth Reddy had exposed his ignorance on the irrigation subject with his comments.
“If KCR had agreed to 299 TMC share in Krishna River, why did he write a letter within 42 days of the state’s formation demanding the redistribution of the entire 811 TMCs? He had in fact, demanded that 69% of the 811 TMCs should belong to Telangana,” KTR said, in his post on X.
He pointed out that the BRS government had written 28 letters to the Centre demanding water distribution in a 50:50 ratio in Krishna waters until the Brijesh Tribunal’s final award.
Earlier, making the PowerPoint presentation, Uttam Kumar Reddy accused the previous BRS government of committing a “major blunder” by relocating the Palamuru Rangareddy project from its original site at Jurala to Srisailam.
“This shift was not just an error. it was a deliberate undermining of our state’s future,” Reddy asserted, emphasizing that the original Jurala-based plan would have secured better outcomes for drought-prone regions in south Telangana.
He said while the total cost of the PRLIS was ₹80,000 crore, the BRS government had only spent ₹27,000 crore during its tenure but was claiming that it had completed 90% of the project works. He pointed out that his administration had invested ₹7,000 crore in the past two years alone.
He reiterated Telangana’s demand for 763 TMC out of the total 1,050 TMC available in the Krishna Basin, stressing that the state’s interests must remain protected at all costs. “The Brijesh Kumar Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-2) verdict is expected in some eight months’ time,” he said, expressing optimism that justice will be done to Telangana.