HYDERABAD: Reeling off statistics to blow holes in the charges levelled by former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that the drought situation in the state was not natural, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday noted that a significant decline of water availability in reservoirs due to lack of rainfall when BRS was in power.
The Irrigation minister categorically dismissed as “baseless” the allegations levelled by KCR during his inspection of crops in erstwhile Nalgonda district that the Congress government was responsible for the farmers’ plight. He stated that as an MP, he raised a question in the Lok Sabha last year on crop insurance and came to know that Telangana was the only state among 29 states that had no crop insurance scheme for farmers that covers natural disasters.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan along with MLC Bomma Mahesh Kumar Goud, Uttam said that 1,229 tmcft was available in 2023 in Jurala, 895 tmcft in 2022, against just 154 tmcft this year. Similarly, he said, the water availability in SRSP dropped from 590 tmcft to 205 tmcft this year.
He asserted that the “friendship” between KCR and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy resulted in a major diversion of Krishna waters to AP, depriving the erstwhile Khammam, Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda districts of their rightful share.
Uttam also rejected KCR’s accusation of transferring Telangana projects to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), saying that it was the former chief minister who signed the papers handing over the projects to the river Board.
Stating that KCR lacks the authority to comment on the power supply situation in Telangana, Uttam referred to his interaction with NTPC chairman Gurdeep Singh during his tenure as a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy.
He spoke of the previous BRS government’s failure to cooperate with NTPC in providing land and water in time for the establishment of 4,000 MW power plant promised by the AP Reorganisation Act, despite the NTPC willing to bear the remaining project costs. He also criticised the previous BRS government for taking up the construction of the Bhadradri Power Plant using “outdated subcritical technology.”
Irrigation minister corners BRS chief
In BRS rule, Telangana only state with no crop insurance scheme for farmers that covers natural disasters
Friendship between KCR and Jagan resulted in diversion of Krishna waters to Andhra Pradesh
Despite NTPC willing to bear cost, BRS govt failed to provide land, water in time for 4,000 MW plant promised under the AP Reorganisation Act
TG interests undermined more in BRS rule than in undivided Andhra Pradesh
Blaming the former chief minister for the lapses about crop losses, and shortfall in energy production, Uttam said that Telangana interests were undermined more under the BRS dispensation than in undivided Andhra Pradesh. “There is no power shortage or power cuts for any sector in any part of Telangana as alleged by KCR,” claimed Uttam.
Predicting that the BRS would cease to exist after the Lok Sabha elections, Uttam said that KCR realises this and thus ventured out of his Erravalli farmhouse to save it.
“No regional party in the country has disintegrated so dramatically. Except for KCR and his family members, no other leader would be left in the BRS,” Uttam said.
“KCR is frustrated and depressed. I condemn the blatant lies uttered at a press conference at Suryapet. The power supply for illumination at the press conference was from a generator. There was some technical problem with the generator which led to power disruption for a few minutes. There was no interruption of power supply as such,” the minister said.
My phone was 100 % tapped, alleges Uttam
The irrigation minister said that his telephone was “100% tapped” by the previous BRS government. He said that bigwigs in the BRS would be jailed in the phone tapping case. He said that the “BRS mess” is such that KCR’s daughter is in jail in liquor scam, and there is uncertainty over Kaleshwaram and the state’s economy is in a bad shape due to debts.