(Prashanth Reddy)
Telangana Congress MLC T Jeevan Reddy alleged that chief minister KCR was splurging taxpayers’ money on the inauguration of the Kaleshwaram Project only to project himself as the chief minister behind the project.
Addressing media along with Congress leaders Mallu Ravi Nagam Janardhan Reddy, the Telangana Congress veteran said instead of using the project for self-promotion KCR should better work for achieving national project status for the project.
Stating that the project would have irrigated 16.5 lakh acres by this time had he implemented the designs approved by the Congress government of the undivided state, Reddy said, the new designs of the TRS government had put an enormous burden on the state finances. He said the project cost was hiked from Rs 38,000 crore to Rs 93,000 crore only to create an additional ayacut of 1.4 lakh acres.
He found fault with the chief minister for planning a lift at Medigadda. “What is the benefit you are getting by shifting the project from Tummidihatti to Medigadda? The river flow is the same at both the places for ten months in the year. You can’t get a single cusec of water extra by abandoning Tummidihaati, except putting a huge burden on state finances,’ Reddy said.
The project, the Congress MLC said, would have been completed had State government stuck to the Thammidigattu barrage.
Former minister Nagam Janardhan Reddy ridiculed Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for taking credit for the Kaleshwaram project.
He said the agreement with Maharashtra which KCR claims had paved the path for the realization of the Project, had ultimately resulted in the reduction of the Kaleswaram project height to 148 meters from 152 meters.
TPCC Vice President Mallu Ravi demanded that the State government start the works of Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Project at the earliest.
He warned that Congress would launch a statewide agitation if the project affected farmers were not given adequate compensation.