Probe on the Cards into BRS’ Palamuru Decisions: Revanth

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday said the government would launch an investigation into the decision-making process by the then BRS government on shifting the source of water for the Palamuru Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme (PRLIS) from Jurala to the Srisailam reservoir.

Revealing that this shifting by the BRS government did not have Cabinet approval as was the case with the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS), Revanth Reddy said: “at a recent meeting with officials, I said let us order an inquiry into this. I called for the Assembly session so this can be discussed. But they (KCR, and BRS) know this and that is why they are making a lot of noise. This is why KCR does not want to attend the Assembly and take part in any discussion on irrigation.”

The Chief Minister who urged Rao to attend the session, said “I am giving an assurance that there will be no insults or interruptions. We will give respect to his stature, age, and experience. We want to what is best for the state. We are with an open mind.”

The Chief Minister was addressing a meeting of MLAs, MLCs, and MPs at Praja Bhavan following a presentation by irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on PRLIS and river water issues with Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister’s comments came on the eve of a day when irrigation issues are expected to dominate discussions in the Assembly when the House reconvenes after the New Year Day break. Friday’s session expected to see a lot of fireworks between the Congress and the BRS in what is expected to be an explosive discussion on PRLIS, and other irrigation matters.

Revanth Reddy said: “KCR must come and take part in the discussions, and an investigation must be ordered. Who got commissions by shifting the source to Srisailam? Both KLIS and PRILIS source-shifting decisions were taken by the then BRS government without Cabinet approvals. Both these projects stand on foundations of deep corruption.”

The same ‘corruption formula’ was applied for KLIS and Palamuru projects, Revanth Reddy said, and this was all about “how many lifts and pumps can be inserted into the project so commissions can be taken. By shifting the source to Srisailam the number of pumps went from 22 to 35.”

“For the lies they are spreading and for leaving Telangana in a helpless position with their decisions on irrigation matters KCR and Harish should be hung,” Revanth Reddy said.

“I am saying this with authority, it will not be wrong. If this was done in some Middle Eastern country, they would have been stoned to death. But we are a democracy, a country where even Ajmal Kasab received a fair trial, and only then was he punished. If Kasab had lawyers representing him, one can only imagine what KCR will be capable of with all his resources,” Revanth Reddy said.

“KCR and Harish through their decisions left no level-playing field for Telangana on irrigation issues,” Revanth Reddy said referring to several tussles with Andhra Pradesh. “The injustice done to Telangana in 10 years under KCR cannot be undone in 100 years,” he said, adding that Telangana must somehow overcome these conditions and the Congress government was taking well-measured, responsible steps to protect the state’s river water interests.

Complimenting Uttam Kumar Reddy for working long hours, and for Thursday’s presentation, Revanth Reddy said “Uttam now knows so much that he can get a PhD on the subject.”

Referring to points presented by the irrigation minister, Revanth Reddy said it was Chandrashekar Rao who gifted 512 tmc ft of water from the Krishna river to AP until the Brijesh Kumar tribunal makes a final allocation. They did not even pursue speeding up of these hearings. We ensured that the tribunal’s frequency of hearings is sped up.

Even as AP began creating facilities through various projects to steal 13.5 tmc ft of water a day from Krishna, the Palamuru project as changed by Chandrashekar Rao cannot even lift 2.5 tmc ft a day, he said.

“KCR changed the source from the head to the tail by shifting from Jurala to Srisailam and in the process, made what was a purely Telangana project into an inter-state dispute, a status in which we are stuck now,” Revanth Reddy said.

The Chief Minister dismissed as meaningless, Harish Rao’s demand that irrigation adviser Adityanath Das be removed from the post as he had worked for the AP government. “Adityanath Das was the irrigation secretary in united AP from 2004 to 2014 and he has thorough knowledge of issues. Harish Rao is scared that he will be exposed because of this and that is why he is raising the new demand,” Revanth Reddy said.