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Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Monday accused the Telangana Congress government of mishandling water management amid the ongoing water issue at the Jurala project and demanded that it clearly announce a schedule for water release.
Speaking to the media, Rao alleged that despite abundant rainfall and water availability in the Krishna and Godavari rivers, the state government failed to utilise the available water adequately. Today, the Congress government in Telangana is attempting to mislead our farmer brothers. One thing is clear: Congress poses a greater danger than even COVID-19 or El Nio. The current situation in Telangana is such that there has been significant rainfall, and the Krishna and Godavari rivers have had abundant water, he said. He claimed that Telangana received 250 TMC of water from the Krishna River this year, of which only 28 TMC was utilised by the state government, while the remaining water flowed downstream, including more than 100 TMC to Andhra Pradesh. Regarding the Krishna River, God has provided 250 TMC of water this year. Yet, it is regrettable that the Congress government in Telangana utilised only 28 TMC out of that 250 TMC; the rest was wasted, flowing into the sea or downstream to Andhra Pradesh. More than 100 TMC went to Andhra. Revanth Reddy has only one agenda today: targeting the opposition or hurling abuse. He does nothing else. Currently, farmers within the command area of the Jurala project are facing severe distress, and the leaders who intended to go and assist them were arrested. The government must now clearly state the schedule for water release," he added. He further targeted Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and said, "Revanth Reddy has only one agenda: targeting the opposition or hurling abuse; he does nothing else. Today, farmers in the Jurala project area are in distress, and the leaders who intended to go and assist them have been arrested. The government must clearly state the schedule for water release. Rao also said water was available upstream at Almatti and Narayanpur in Karnataka and urged the Telangana government to seek its release. There is water available upstream at Almatti and Narayanpur, both located in Karnataka, where there is also a Congress government. If the Congress government here were to request the Congress government there, water would certainly be released. There is 150 TMC of water stored there; if even 5 to 10 TMC were secured, the farmers' October crops here could be saved. Therefore, we urge and demand that the Congress government make a genuine effort, he said. KTR further demanded that the government address the water-management issue and said the party would focus on matters concerning farmers. Earlier, KT Rama Rao (KTR) condemned the alleged arrests and house detentions of BRS leaders in the erstwhile Palamuru district, who, according to him, were seeking the release of irrigation water from the Jurala project to protect standing crops. KTR alleged that crops in several areas were drying up while the government was failing to address the concerns of farmers. He claimed that around 9 thousand Million Cubic feet (TMC) of water was available in the Jurala project but was not being released, citing what he described as "unconvincing excuses" by the government. He further alleged that farmers who attempted to open the Jurala gates to protect their crops were booked in cases and that barricades had been erected around the project, with a large police presence deployed to prevent farmers from entering the area. KTR also questioned the decision not to release water for the Jurala ayacut, arguing that only about 2 TMC was required for drinking-water needs while, according to him, around 9 TMC was available in the project. (ANI)
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