HYDERABAD: Refuting the allegations of BRS MLA T Harish Rao, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday said that the ayacut plans will be finalised based on the decisions made at the upcoming State Level Committee for Integrated Water Planning and Management (SCIWAM) meeting on July 11 and not as suggested by the Opposition leaders.
Uttam alleged that the BRS was trying to hoodwink farmers and create unrest among them. “They are spreading deliberate lies with malicious intent. We advise Harish Rao to stop spreading lies, at least now,” he said in a press statement.
“Telangana farmers cultivated paddy on a record scale last year, an achievement never seen before in the history of India,” Uttam said and added that ignoring this fact, Harish continues to make false statements.
In the last monsoon season, farmers cultivated paddy over 66.7 lakh acres and harvested 153.5 lakh metric tonnes of grain, he recalled.
The minister said that in the Rabi season, 130 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was produced from 60 lakh acres.
A record production of 283 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in a single year, the highest in the country’s history, was achieved during the Congress government’s tenure, he said.
Uttam further said it was due to the inefficiency, negligence and mismanagement of the BRS that the Medigadda barrage sank. Annaram and Sundilla barrages were also in a dangerous condition, he added.
Based on the recommendations of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), the Congress government will make appropriate decisions on these projects. “There was no need to believe Harish’s lies,” the minister added.
According to the Kaleshwaram project design, water had to be lifted from the Kanepalli pump house near Medigadda to Annaram, and from there to Sundilla. The construction of these three barrages using flawed designs and technology was a blunder by the previous government, he said. The NDSA has warned that these barrages were in a dangerous state. Yet, Harish repeatedly insists on lifting water from Kannepalli, a conspiracy to mislead the public, he added.