Launching a scathing attack against the Congress party leaders for making false allegations on redesigning of irrigation projects in Telangana State, Karimnagar MP B. Vinod Kumar asked why the Congress government had not completed the Pranahita-Chevella, Mid Manair Dam and Thotappalli reservoirs during their regime.
“Why the Congress party had dug the canals without constructing the barrage across the river for the Pranahita-Chevella lift irrigation project”, he questioned.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the Karimnagar MP clarified that they had not abandoned the Pranahita-Chevella project. “We are planning to redesign the project for providing more benefit to the farmers by optimum utilisation of waters by using the canals dug up by the Congress government”, he said and added that they had expanded the project for providing more irrigation sources.
Ridiculing the Congress leaders’ dharnas against the Mid Manair Dam and Thotapalli reservoirs in Karimnagar district, he said that the Congress government laid foundation stone for MMD in 2006 and it was decided to compete in 2009. Ironically, the project was delayed due to the swindling of money and the cost was also escalated by the authorities, he stated.
Similarly, the foundation stone for Thotapalli reservoir was laid in 2007 and it was decided to complete the project in 2012. But, there was not a single work for the project. In turn, the executing agency had escalated the project cost. Flaying the Congress leaders charge on the project, he said that they had not shelved the project.
Aqueduct
Instead, they were planning to provide irrigation sources to the region without acquiring the land from the farmers by constructing an aqueduct and provide water through Moyathummeda rivulet and through gravity. He said that the construction of Thotapalli reservoir would ensure only utilisation of 0.25 tmcs of water from the project.
He reiterated that the TRS government would complete the irrigation projects in a time bound programme. ZP chairperson Tula Uma, legislators Gangula Kamalakar and B Shoba, TRS district president Eda Shankar Reddy and others were also present.
