Activists and political parties targeted Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for proposing to change the design of the Pranahitha-Chevella irrigation project, quite a few of them castigating him for use of intemperate language.
Speaking at the roundtable organised by the Telangana Udyama Vedika here on Thursday, activist Nainala Govardhan from Telangana Jalasadhana Samithi said the State will incur heavy energy costs for lifting water, if location of the barrage is changed from Tummidi-Hetti in Adilabad to Kaleshwaram in Karimnagar.
Barrage at Tummidi-Hetti at 160 metres’ height will bring the flow through gravity up to Yellampally, while having it at Kaleshwaram will require lifting the water up to a height of 60 metres. Even if built at 152 metres at Tummidi-Hetti, water will flow through gravity up to 70 kilometres, Mr. Govardhan noted.
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A series of dams up to Kaleshwaram will ensure hydro power production too, which may be shared with Maharashtra in exchange for their acceptance.
Canals built with thousands of crores of rupees will go waste if the barrage is now shifted to Kaleshwaram. Mr. Govardhan also demanded disclosure of consultancy report which advocated design change, and asked for the firm (Wapcos) to be brought to book.
Alleging hidden agenda, CPI(M) State secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram remarked that the change in design is only intended to benefit contractors.
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Social advantages
Debunking the government’s justification on financial viability, Mr. Veerabhadram said social advantages to Adilabad tribals should be the criterion instead.
Gunda Mallesh from CPI accused the Chief Minister of being ineffective in negotiations with his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis. Demanding an all-party meeting, he said a meeting will be held by Left parties on July 21 in Adilabad to decide the future course of action.
Retired High Court judge B. Chandra Kumar too opposed the change in design and said decisions should be based on consensus.
Congress leader Bhatti Vikramarka accused the Chief Minister of displaying “feudal mentality” which would not brook questioning. He alleged that the drinking water component of the Pranahitha-Chevella project has been diverted in the name of Telangana Water Grid, only to weaken the former. Almost all the speakers condemned Mr. Rao’s language as “haughty and rude”.
Representatives of CPML-New Democracy, TDP, BJP, Dalit Bahujan Front, Telangana Praja Front, and OUJAC participated in the roundtable.
KCR is displaying feudal mentality which brooks no questioning
Bhatti Vikramarka
Congress leader