Minister for Irrigation T. Harish Rao has alleged the TDP and the Congress of obstructing the construction of irrigation projects across the river Godavari in Telangana.
“The TRS government had secured all clearances for the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. But Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is opposing the KLIP and writing letters to the Union government to stop the project”, he said, adding that the Congress party was also filing cases in the court to stop KLIP.
He clarified that the Telangana government had taken up projects across the river Godavari only to utilise the allocated 954 tmcs of water for the Telangana region. He also asked whether the AP government would stop the Polavaram project since the neighbouring State Odisha was opposing the project.
The Irrigation Minister along with Minister for Finance and Civil Supplies Etala Rajender, Karimnagar MP B. Vinod Kumar and others laid the foundation stone for the construction of Kalikota Suramma cheruvu and Nagaram tank at a cost of ₹204 crore in Kalikota village of Kathalapur mandal on Friday. The project was taken up as part of Sripada Yellampalli project package-2 to lift water to Kathalapur and Medipalli mandals for providing irrigation to 43,000 acres.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Harish Rao said that the KLIP was an old project of the Pranahita-Chevella. “We have taken up project at Medigadda as there was less water at Thummadi Hatti. We will complete the KLIP at any cost and no force can stop the project. We will provide irrigation sources to the farmers of the Telangana”, he maintained. He also found fault with the Telangana TDP leaders for remaining silent when their national party president was opposing the projects in Telangana. He dared the Telangana TDP leaders to resign from the party if they were concerned about the Telangana people.
He also demanded that the Telangana Congress leaders condemn the AP CM’s obstructions to KLIP. He announced completion of Suramma tank, and provision of in the coming Dasara festival season if the farmers gave 300 acres of land for the project. He assured that the government would provide compensation as per norms. He said the integrated Karimnagar district would turn into another ‘Konaseema’.
Minister for Finance Eatala Rajender said Telangana tops in the world after China in the construction of projects. He said that the KLIP would be completed during this year to provide irrigation sources to the farmers.
ZP chairperson Tula Uma, legislators Ch Ramesh Babu and K. Vidyasagar Rao, MLC Naradasu Laxman Rao, Collector A. Sharath were also present.
