Hyderabad: Redesigning the Pranahita-Chevella project has led to a fight between three Telangana districts — Ranga Reddy, Mahbubnagar and Medak.
“Save Mahbubnagar” and “Save Ranga Reddy” agitations have been launched against redesigning the project.
Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar leaders and people are accusing Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and irrigation minister T. Harish Rao of diverting the project to benefit their home district Medak at the cost of the other two districts.
Concerns are being raised that any redesigning of the project at this stage would pose difficulties in securing “national status” for it from the Centre besides imposing a heavy financial burden on the Telangana government.
Ranga Reddy leaders and people are angry at the CM redesigned the project by excluding their district from the original plan.
They are also not convinced by the argument made by the CM and ministers that Ranga Reddy district would be covered under Palamuru lift irrigation project.
“RR district needs irrigation facility for 14 lakh acres. Even if both Pranahita and Palamuru projects cover RR, they would irrigate only 4 lakh acres. There will be still a balance of 9 lakh acres. If there is one district in entire TS which does not have a single project of its own, it is RR, while the fact remains that 92 per cent total agriculture in RR is dependent on rains,” said T. Rammohan Reddy, Parigi MLA, who launched “Save Ranga Reddy" agitation against redesigning of Pranahita project.
Mahbunagar BJP leaders Nagam Janard-han Reddy and Yennam Srinivas Reddy who recently launched “Bachao Telangana” forum have announced “Save Mahabubnagar” agitation against redesigning of Palamuru projects.
RR and Mahabubnagar leaders and people point out that as per original plan, only 5 tmc of water was allotted to CM's home constituency Gajwel and Harish Rao's constituency Siddipet and in the revised plan, it was increased to 50 tmc, which clearly proves that both both have hatched a conspiracy to benefit their home district Medak at the cost of other two districts.
"When Rs 9,000 crore has already been spent on the project, there is no reason why the Government wants to redesign the project now. The CM cites Wapcos report over non-availability of water for taking up project in the present format. But he shou;d realise that the same Wapcos has made it clear that there is availability of 160 tmc water in Pranahita during YSR regime and suggested construction of project at Tummidi Hatti in Adilabad. Now the CM wants to shift the project site to Kaaleshwaram in Karimnagar district," said TPPC chief N.Uttam Kumar Reddy.
