BRS Leader Harish Rao Dares CM Revanth Reddy Over Irrigation Management

Hyderabad: In a dramatic confrontation over the state's water management crisis, senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao has issued a bold challenge to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, offering to step down from politics permanently if he cannot successfully operate the Kannepalli pumps, replenish designated reservoirs, and deliver water supplies to farmers within a three-month window.

The former Irrigation Minister made the declaration at a press conference held at Telangana Bhavan on Friday, presenting official documentation and technical evidence to support his position. He used the occasion to counter the Chief Minister's recent criticisms of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.

Harish Rao levelled serious accusations against the Congress administration, alleging it has deliberately concealed its shortcomings in managing the state's water resources. He characterised the government's approach to irrigation as "criminal negligence," particularly given the substantial water availability from the Godavari River.

The BRS MLA pointed out that despite sufficient water supplies, the government has neglected to activate heavy-duty pumping equipment. This inaction, he contended, has allowed vast quantities of Godavari water to reach the sea while farming communities across Telangana face severe water scarcity.

Harish Rao cited specific figures, noting that approximately one lakh cusecs of floodwater flows through the Godavari at the Sammakka Barrage. Yet the government, he said, is extracting merely 2,542 cusecs through the Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme. He demanded clarification on why pump operations remain below their potential capacity when water levels at Sammakka Barrage exceed the threshold needed for the Devadula system to function.

In the undivided Warangal district, Harish Rao observed that between 75 and 80 percent of storage tanks have become empty despite adequate water flows from the Godavari. He also criticised the absence of public statements from Congress legislators and ministers representing the region as farmers grapple with inadequate water access.

The BRS politician called for a dedicated Assembly debate focused on the Sammakka Barrage and broader state irrigation policies. He additionally disputed the Chief Minister's assertions regarding clearance for the Tummidihatti project.

Drawing on his experience as Irrigation Minister, Harish Rao maintained that Maharashtra has never granted approval for the Tummidihatti project at the 152-metre specification, despite multiple rounds of negotiations involving then-Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. He dared the current Chief Minister to produce any formal correspondence documenting such approval.

"Should Chief Minister Revanth Reddy present a single official document confirming Maharashtra's approval of the Tummidihatti project at 152 metres, I shall resign immediately from my position as MLA. If no such document exists, Revanth Reddy must tender an apology to the people of Telangana for providing misleading information," Harish Rao stated.

The BRS leader also defended the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, emphasising that it was conceived following exhaustive technical analyses. During the BRS government's decade in power, he noted, only two piers at Medigadda experienced structural issues.

Harish Rao criticised the Congress government for squandering nearly 31 months without completing necessary technical examinations or initiating repair operations at Medigadda. Rather than addressing these concerns, he charged, the administration has permitted crucial Godavari water supplies to remain unutilised while farmers continue to suffer from irrigation deficits.