HYDERABAD: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday announced that nine out of 10 pumps of the Devadula project would be operated round-the-clock to tackle the emerging water scarcity caused by deficient rainfall.
During an informal chat with the media at the Secretariat, the minister said that engineers were asked to “operate the pumps at their maximum capacity to ensure that all reservoirs under the Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme were filled to the maximum extent possible”.
Asserting the state government was fully implementing the assurances made during the recent Group of Ministers’ review of the Devadula project, he said: “Nine pumping units would be operating round the clock from tonight (Tuesday night) to maximise water lifting from the Godavari.”
Responding to criticism by BRS leader T Harish Rao, the minister said that the government was focused on ensuring water security and protecting farmers, not engaging in political rhetoric.
“As assured during his recent review of the Devadula project, nine pumping units will be operating at full capacity. They will function round the clock to maximise lifting from Godavari and fill the 22 reservoirs serving nine districts,” he said.
The minister said Harish Rao was attempting to divert public attention from the failures of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme. “The BRS leaders should first speak about their failures that led to structural crisis at Medigadda and then talk about Devadula,” he said.
“If Harish Rao wants to debate on irrigation, he must first explain the decisions taken during his tenure as irrigation minister. Instead of spreading misinformation about Devadula, he should answer why the original foundation design at Medigadda was changed during the BRS regime and who authorised those decisions,” he said.
Uttam also demanded that Harish Rao respond to Telangana Rakshana Sena chief K Kavitha’s allegation that Kaleshwaram contractors had paid Rs 1,400 crore to the BRS.
Stating that the Congress government was committed to completing the Devadula project works by December 2027, the minister said once fully completed, it would provide irrigation to nearly 5.6 lakh acres while significantly strengthening drinking water security across northern Telangana.
‘Drought created by govt, not caused by El Nino’
Earlier in the day, Harish Rao alleged that the state government was deliberately denying irrigation to farmers despite the availability of adequate Godavari water.
Speaking to reporters here, the former minister said the present crisis was “not a drought caused by El Nino, but a drought created by the government”.
He recalled that the BRS on July 12 demanded that the government operate the Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme pumps.
The former minister said that the very next day, ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy visited the project and announced that 38 tmcft of water would be lifted to fill 22 reservoirs under the Devadula project, prompting farmers to begin transplantation.
“But the ministers failed to keep their assurance,” he said and pointed out that farmers across Shayampet, Bhimadevarapally, Elkathurthy and several other parts of Warangal district were staging protests demanding irrigation water.
