VIJAYAWADA: A heated debate erupted in the Legislative Council on Wednesday over the Handri-Neeva lift irrigation project, with Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu accusing the YSRCP of obstructing Rayalaseema’s development and misleading the public.
Tensions rose when a YSRCP member Yellreddygari Sivarami Reddy opposed canal lining works, prompting a sharp rebuke from Ramanaidu. “You don’t want lining works, nor do you care about Rayalaseema’s development. You fear that if the people of Rayalaseema prosper, they might question your corrupt governance,” he charged, accusing the opposition of spreading baseless allegations to hinder progress.
Targeting former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Ramanaidu remarked, “It’s absurd that we, who are working for progress, are being questioned, while the Tadepalli palace, confined behind curtains for five years, escapes scrutiny despite ignoring Handri-Neeva.”
Criticising the Jagan government’s handling of canal works, he slammed its failure to implement a GO promising 6,200 cusecs of water through the lined canal, questioning why YSRCP intellectuals did not challenge this at the time. He pointed out that YSRCP failed to utilise the 3,850 cusecs capacity pumps set up by N Chandrababu Naidu by 2019 and has no moral ground to speak on Handri-Neeva.
He noted that the previous government completed lining works for the Galeru-Nagari canal without opposition from its supporters, yet the same faction now criticises Handri-Neeva.
He questioned why they remained silent when a senior Jagan-era minister planned to pipe Galeru-Nagari water from Gandikota to Chittoor, risking groundwater depletion. He reminded the opposition that the people remember the YSRCP government’s neglect of Rayalaseema projects, citing its failure to allocate funds.
He emphasised that most of the region’s projects were completed under NTR and Chandrababu, while Jagan ignored the Machchumarri Lift scheme started by Naidu. He blamed Jagan for creating an inter-state water dispute by proposing the Rayalaseema Lift scheme.