‘BRS caused systemic damage’: Congress govt to probe collapse of check dams in Peddapalli district

Hyderabad: In an attack on the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) over the irrigation projects in Telangana, irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy stated the collapse of check dams in Peddapalli district will be inquired into by the vigilance and enforcement department.

Reddy criticised the irrigation legacy of the BRS government, which he claimed caused ‘systemic damage’.

Probe into infrastructure failures in Gumpula and Adavi Somanapalli

This comes in the wake of BRS leader and former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s press conference alleging that the Congress government in Telangana are neglecting the Palamuru- Rangareddy irrigation projects.

In a rebuttal, Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “There are serious concerns over the infrastructure failures in Gumpula and Adavi Somanapalli villages. Our government is taking this very seriously. Whether these check dams collapsed due to poor construction quality or intentional destruction, the culprits will face strict action.”

He emphasised that check dams are vital for the farming community and warned that anyone attempting to damage such assets would be dealt with severely.

Scathing attack on BRS leadership

In a candid ‘chit-chat’ with the media at the State Secretariat, Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy directed his ire toward former Irrigation Minister Harish Rao and KCR.

“Harish Rao should rename himself ‘Goebbels Rao’ for his constant spread of falsehoods,” the Minister remarked.

“Instead of hanging their heads in shame over the collapse of three barrages in the Kaleshwaram project, BRS leaders are shamelessly launching counterattacks.”

The Kaleshwaram ‘failure’

Reddy highlighted a massive gap between the expenditure and utility of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme:

1. Low utility: Despite astronomical spending, only 80-90 TMC of water was utilised over the last five years.

2. Financial drain: The current government is forced to pay Rs 16,000 to Rs 20,000 crore annually just to service the massive debts left behind by the KCR administration.

‘Setting the record straight on water sharing with AP’

The Minister presented a comparison to debunk BRS’s claims regarding water sharing with Andhra Pradesh, accusing the previous government of ‘mortgaging Telangana’s interests.’

In the apex meetings from 2014-2020, the BRS government agreed to 512 TMC for AP and only 299 TMC for Telangana. Whereas the present Congress government is demanding a 71 per cent share, said Reddy.

He explained, “In the meeting of KRMB in the year 2020, KCR agreed to a meagre 34 per cent share, whereas we are demanding a 71 per cent share via letters to the Board. The Palamuru-Rangareddy project was left incomplete for 10 years and the present government is working to secure the pending environmental clearances.”

Unfinished legacy

The minister questioned why critical projects like Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Dindi and SLBC in the combined Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts remained unfinished despite a decade of BRS rule.

He concluded by stating that the ‘People’s Government’ is now focused on rectifying these historical blunders and ensuring water reaches the farmers’ fields. The minister discussed the points in a chit-chat session in the Secretariat.