Hyderabad: Former chief engineer, Central Water Commission, and TS government adviser on irrigation matters R. Vidyasagar Rao passed away at a corporate hospital on Saturday due to multiple organ failure.
An expert with immense knowledge of irrigation affairs, Vidyasagar Rao served the Central government in various capacities for 37 years and later worked with the United Nations as a consultant. He was appointed adviser to the TS government by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in 2014.
He had been actively assisting the TS irrigation department and the engineering wing in dealing with the issues concerning inter-state disputes on sharing of Krishna waters before the Supreme Court, the Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal and the Krishna River Management Board.
He was diagnosed with cancer and was admitted in a corporate hospital 10 days ago where he breathed his last. Vidyasagar Rao had written several articles and a book Neellu Nijalu, on irrigation, especially injustices done to TS. He had actively participated in the statehood agitations under the banner of the TRS.
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly K. Jana Reddy, BJP floor leader G. Kishan Reddy and Special Chief Secretary for Irrigation S.K. Joshi condoled the death of Vidyasagar Rao. The last rites will be performed on Sunday.
