GAGILLAPUR (KARIMNAGAR DIST): The war of words between the ruling TRS and Congress party, over the government decision to shelve the Thotapalli reservoir project, continued on Wednesday, with the TPCC chief threatening to step up protests and irrigation minister lambasting the opposition party for opposing the government schemes blindly.
Castigating the state government, TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was attempting to create controversy over the irrigation projects sanctioned or constructed during the Congress rule.
Replying to the allegation, irrigation minister Harish Rao said the government decided to scrap Thotapalli project as it will submerge six villages and leave 3,800 families displaced.
The Karimnagar District Congress Committee (DCC) organised a blockade on the busy Rajiv Rahadari (highway) and also conducted Vanta-Vaarpu programme at Gagillapur in Bejjanki mandal on Wednesday protesting the state government’s proposal to scrap the Thotapalli project.
As about half a km stretch of the highway was blocked by party workers and local farmers, traffic was diverted from Bejjenki to Karimnagar via Begumpet. Addressing the protesters, Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded the government to withdraw decision to shelve Thotapalli project.
“If the government fails to withdraw the proposal, Congress party will continue its agitation,” he said and added that KCR had disappointed the people from all walks of life.
Jagtial MLA T Jeevan Reddy asked the Chief Minister to clarify how 1.5 lakh acres of land could be irrigated if the Thotapalli balancing reservoir project was scraped.
Former minister D Sridhar Babu alleged that KCR was cheating farmers of the state. Former MP Ponnam Prabhakar also attacked the government for its failure in all fronts.
Meanwhile, Congress activists attempted to stop vehicles moving towards Bejjanki. Police arrested all the leaders and shifted them to Bejjanki police station and were released later
Former government chief whip Arepalli Mohan, TPCC women wing president Nerella Sharada, former MLA A Praveen Reddy, B Venkateshwar, DCC president Katakam Mruthyunjayam, women wing president G Jayasri and others participated in the protest.
In Hyderabad, irrigation minister T Harish Rao lashed out at the Congress. “The Congress does not want the government to do any thing good. It is opposing all our schemes blindly,” Harish said adding that the construction of Thotapalli will leave six villages submerged and more than 3,800 families displaced.
By constructing two aqueducts, the government will avoid submergence of land while the ayacut area proposed under Thotapalli reservoir will also be provided water, he said. “When we are coming up with an alternative that would not cause any submergence, why is the Congress opposing it. It is nothing but blind opposition to each and every programme of the government,” he alleged.