Minister questions TDP’s ‘silence’ on move to draw more Krishna water

‘The opposition party should make its stand clear on the issue’

Irrigation Minister P. Anil Kumar on Friday asked the TDP to make its stand clear on the order issued by his department according administrative approval for irrigation schemes worth more than ₹7,000 crore.

“It is unfortunate that the TDP is silent on the bold decision taken by the State government to draw more water from the Krishna,” Mr. Anil Kumar told the media here.

The schemes were aimed at drawing an additional quantity of up to 8 tmcft water per day from the Srisailam reservoir. Upgrading the Pothireddypadu head regulator canal system to draw 80,000 cusecs from the foreshore of the Srisailam reservoir to bring more water to Rayalaseema during floods was a part of the new projects, he said.

Disputing the TDP’s contention that it had completed 70% of the Polavaram project and a major part of the tunnel drilling work of the Veligonda project, the Minister dared the opposition party to prove its “unsubstantiated claims.”

A majority of the tunnel work had been completed during the term of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the combined State, he said, and added that the credit for filling the Somasila and Pulichintala projects to the full during the last cropping season should go to the ruling YSRCP. The Nellore Barrage would be dedicated to the farmers in December, the Minister added.