: The Congress has been tracking developments in the Palamuru- Rangareddy and Dindi Lift Irrigation schemes from day one as these projects would have a devastating impact on the economy of the State, said Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Raghuveera Reddy has said.
Taking the campaign and protests against the illegal irrigation projects being initiated by the Telangana government to the next level, party leaders and cadre from all over the State will stage a protest on Prakasam Barrage on Monday. Prakasam Barrage has taken the place of the first anicut on the Krishna River designed by Sir Arthur Cotton over one and a half centuries ago. Though the farmers of Krishna delta enjoy the primary riparian rights they are the worst hit by the illegal irrigation projects.
Giving the timeline, Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said that the day after the Telangana government announced these new projects about 11 months ago, he met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and asked him to exercise his powers and stop their progress because they would have a devastating effect on eight districts of Andhra Pradesh.
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The PCC chief told the Governor that the projects were being planned in violation of the award of the Bachawat Tribunal and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, because they did not have the approval of the Central government, the Apex Council consisting of the Union Water Resources Minister and the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Central Water Commission, and even the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).
The unauthorised projects would turn lands irrigated by Krishna water in eight districts into rain-fed dry lands. Drinking water to a population of 2 crore people would also be affected, Mr Raghuveera Reddy explained.
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A week after meeting the Governor, a letter was written to Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrasekhar Rao. Subsequently, a letter was also written to Union Minister Uma Bharti highlighting the seriousness of the issue, the PCC chief said.
Later, the kisan cell of the party conducted Rythu Chaithanya Sadassulu in all the eight districts that would be affected and held a dharna on the Srisailam dam on April 23.
Even the drought teams that were making a study of the situation in the State were told to brief the farmers about the crippling blow the projects would have on the economy of the state. The protest on Prakasam Barrage should be an eye-opener to both the Central and State governments, he said.
Drinking water to a population of 2 crore people will be affected
N. Raghuveera Reddy