Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao ridiculed the contention of Andhra Pradesh against taking up of Palamuru-Ranga Reddy and Nakkalagandi lift irrigation projects by the Telangana Government without any clearances from the Centre.
“Whom did they (AP) ask while taking up Pattiseema project on war-footing earlier this year and do they have any clearances for Pothireddypadu, Handri-Neeva, Veligonda and several other projects taken up earlier,” Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao shot back here on Thursday, retorting to AP Irrigation Minister Deviveni Umamaheswara Rao’s remarks on the issue.
Addressing a public meeting here, he vowed to complete the Palamuru lift irrigation project in four years, at least for the district, “come what may”, he said.
“Let them do whatever they can, I will get the project constructed in front of their eyes by sitting in Palamuru,” he stated.
On the AP’s letter to the Centre complaining against the two projects taken up by Telangana, Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said: “Will the Prime Minister stop us from giving water to the parched lands and throats of Palamuru by listening to their hoarse cry against the rightful share of the district people in Krishna waters,” the Chief Minister sought to know.
Telangana had every right to utilise 100 TMC ft water out of 197 TMC ft allocated afresh to combined AP by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said explaining about the rightful share of Telangana in Krishna waters.
Taking pot-shots at his AP’s counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu he said Telangana Government would not indulge in any corrupt practices like him (Mr. Naidu).
“He’s running pillar to post after getting caught while wrongdoing”, he said.
