VIJAYAWADA: Decrying the ‘injustice’ being done to Rayalaseema and discrimination in the release of water for irrigation, Rayalaseema Saguneeti Samithi president Bojja Dasaratharami Reddy called for a united struggle to achieve the rights of the region.
“There is a clear cut discrimination in the release of water to Rayalaseema,” he said, while addressing people in Nandyal, after releasing an open letter to the public over deficit rainfall in the region.“The focus of policy makers has always been and always will be only on the regions, which are socially, culturally and economically developed, as evident from the release of water to Krishna delta for irrigation in Mrigasira Karthi on June 7,” he observed.
But at the same time, socially and economically backward region of Rayalaseema has been ignored, which is evident from the free advice given to farmers to cultivate rain-based crops instead of assured water crops. Farmers of Rayalaseema have been asked not to rely on water from Krishna and Tungabhadra. “It is not for the first time such thing has happened, but it hurts, when it happens,” he rued.
Bojja said Srisailam reservoir was emptied though it received 2,017 TMC this year, denying water to Rayalaseema, besides announcing that 34 TMC was reserved for Krishna delta. “Even after knowing this, there has been no response from the people representatives of Rayalaseema. They just want to take Krishna water even before Krishna and Tungabhadra get heavy inflows during the rainy seasion. This injustice is mainly due to the inaction on the part of Rayalaseema leaders,” he denounced.
Krishna delta has six stabilisation projects, with Pulichintala and Polavaram being the latest, while Rayalaseema has not a single one though the request to take up Gundrevula, Siddeswaram, Tungabhadra parallel canal and Vedavathi lift irrigation was made to the government numerous times. “It is time for Rayalaseema leaders to ensure that water is not released from Srisailam reservoir till 854 feet level is achieved,” he stressed.