KCR slams Telangana govt over Krishna river projects, power supply to farmers

Hyderabad, Jan 13 (PTI) Launching a blistering attack on the Congress government in Telangana, BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday accused it of "handing over" projects on Krishna river to Krishna River Management Board and failing to ensure uninterrupted power supply and support to farmers.

Addressing his first public meeting at Nalgonda post his party's defeat in the recent Assembly polls, Rao said they would question the government as the main opposition "at every step" if people are troubled over water, electricity and others.

"I am warning the state government. Power supply should be restored the way the BRS government supplied. The farming community in the state should be supplied power that way. What is their behaviour? It has never happened in history. They installed generators in (Legislative) Assembly. So much for their intelligence," the former CM said.

Rao, who addressed the rally sitting in a chair due to a fracture suffered in December last year, demanded that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister and state that the government would not give up the matter until the state's share in water is secured.

The 'Chalo Nalgonda' rally was organised in support of Telangana securing its rightful share in Krisha river waters and safeguarding the state's interests.

Rao charged the NDA government at the Centre with delaying entrusting the task of allocation of water to the state, to the water tribunal. The union government had referred water allocation to the tribunal before the recent Assembly polls, he said.

Instead of fighting for the state's share in river water before the tribunal, the Congress government "handed over Krishna waters to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB)," he claimed.

The KRMB was constituted by the Centre as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 for the administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of such projects, as may be notified by the central government from time to time.

Referring to the resolution adopted in the Assembly on Monday that the state government shall not hand over control of projects common to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Krishna river to the KRMB unless the conditions put forth by the state are fulfilled, Rao claimed that the resolution was 'inadequate'.

"That resolution was also not good. They talked about drinking water. But, power production was not incorporated in the resolution. Such an unintelligent resolution," he said.

Questioning the visit of CM Revanth Reddy, ministers and MLAs today to the Medigadda barrage of Kaleshwaram where the piers "sank" last year, Rao alleged that the ruling Congress was trying to defame the previous BRS government.

"If there is anything in Medigadda. There are 250-300 pillars. The Kaleshwaram project is not a toy. There are three barrages on Godavari river. 200 km-long tunnels are there. A 1,500 km canal is there. 19 substations are there. 20 reservoirs are there. Is this not all Kaleshwaram project? Some two-three pillars went down (partially). How many times did this not happen? Did this not happen in the Nagarjuna Sagar project?" he asked.

If there is any problem in the barrage, it should be rectified and water should be supplied to farmers, he added.

Rao exuded confidence that the BRS would come back to power with "double speed".

"Should we (BRS) also behave the same way (when we come to power and try to defame the previous government)?" he wondered.

Alleging that the Congress government did not have an understanding about river waters, he said he or other senior leaders in BRS would have advised if they were consulted.

Rao asserted that the fight should continue till Telangana got its rightful share in Krishna river waters as per the decision of the Justice Brijesh Kumar water tribunal.

The BRS president alleged that the Congress government is not able to ensure cash transfer to the farmers under the 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme.

Rao, who said he attended the meeting in spite of his recent health issues, said he won't let injustice happen to Telangana. PTI