HYDERABAD: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy accused BRS MLA and former minister T Harish Rao of making false allegations and held the previous BRS regime responsible for state’s water crises.
In an informal chat with mediapersons at the Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, Uttam highlighted that Telangana produced more paddy during this Kharif season than in the past and stated that Rabi cultivation would exceed 55 lakh acres. He also said water was being supplied as per the Rabi action plan announced by the Congress government.
Uttam emphasised that the present Congress government has been efficiently managing limited water resources.
He alleged that the previous BRS government’s mismanagement of Krishna and Godavari river waters was causing severe hardship to farmers now. The minister also alleged that the BRS government allowed Andhra Pradesh to build infrastructure to draw excess water and even gave a written commitment to allocate 512 tmcft from Krishna river.
He stated that after the Congress formed the government, efforts were made to amend these rules. He blamed BRS for the water crisis in the Godavari basin and called the pink party’s “failure” to construct the Tummidihatti project a major loss for the state.
Uttam cited the report of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), which warned that if safety measures were not taken at Medigadda, entire villages would be submerged. He reiterated his demand that Harish Rao stop misleading people with false allegations against the Congress government.