Shifting Palamuru Project from Jurala to Srisailam Caused Injustice to Krishna Basin: Minister Uttam

Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday said that shifting the Palamuru–Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Project intake point from Jurala to Srisailam resulted in injustice not only to Palamuru but also to the Krishna river basin.

He explained that had the intake remained at Jurala, water would have been lifted from a depth of 414 metres, whereas the shift to Srisailam forced the project to lift water up to 560 metres. Uttam said the project could have been completed with 22 pumps if sourced from Jurala, but the change increased the requirement to 37 pumps, significantly escalating costs.

The minister alleged that authorities remained silent while Andhra Pradesh illegally diverted water from the Srisailam bank waters. He claimed that the previous AP government expanded projects to divert up to 13 TMC of water per day.

Uttam further said that while the YSRCP government constructed the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project, the BRS regime did not raise any objections. He added that after the Congress government came to power, a complaint was lodged with the Centre, leading to a halt in Rayalaseema lift project works.

He also stated that Telangana utilised more Krishna waters during the 2024–25 season, in line with its entitlements.