Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao on Wednesday criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for writing letters to the Central government that the Palamuru lift-irrigation scheme should be stopped because it did not have the permission of the Krishna River Management Board.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Rao said the scheme was the right of Telangana as Hyderabad, with a population of over one crore, did not have water allocation in River Krishna. This was in spite of national and international water laws according first priority to drinking water to towns and cities in a river basin.
Hyderabad was in the Krishna basin but it was supplied water from Manjira river at the cost of irrigation in Medak and Ranga Reddy. However, the supply was not sufficient. Hence, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao proposed taking 30 tmc ft water from Krishna.
Mr. Rao said Mr. Naidu opposed the scheme as the latter was keen to take water from Krishna to the Penna basin by denying Telangana its rightful share of water from the river. He tried to wreak vengeance against the Telangana government. This is one of the several conspiracies of Mr. Naidu against the government.
He questioned why Telugu Desam leaders of Telangana were silent on the ‘conspiracies’ of Mr. Naidu.
They must tender their resignation if they cannot stop him from working against the interests of Telangana, he said. He appealed to industrialists, traders, Information Technology professionals, film personalities and other elite to confront Mr. Naidu.
Mr. Rao questioned the right of Mr. Naidu to administer Andhra Pradesh from Hyderabad by enjoying power and water here.
