Harish Spreading Lies, Govt Committed To Protecting State's Water Rights: Uttam
“There was no truth in Harish Rao’s claims that our government did not do anything on Banakacharla”: Uttam Kumar Reddy
HYDERABAD: Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday hit out at former irrigation minister and senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao for “spreading lies” on Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram-Banakacharla link project, and declared that “all injustice to Telangana’s share in river waters took place in 10 years of the BRS regime.”
“There was no truth in Harish Rao’s claims that our government did not do anything on Banakacharla,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said. “We have taken all steps, made it clear to the Centre in writing and verbally that Telangana is firmly opposed to the Banakacharla project. We have done this several times.”
Speaking with reporters in Hanamkonda, he also said by raising the issue of AP issuing a tender for preparing a detailed project report for the Banakacharla project, Harish Rao was trying to make it sound that this was somehow the Telangana government’s fault. “Harish Rao is attempting to defame the government by spreading lies like these,” he said.
The irrigation minister said that for the past 21 months, the Congress government was trying to undo the damage done to Telangana’s share in Godavari and Krishna rivers during the BRS party rule.
“We have been fighting for our rightful share of river waters under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, and I, as irrigation minister. It was the KCR and irrigation minister Harish Rao who signed off on an agreement giving AP 512 tmc ft of the 811 tmc ft of Krishna water to Andhra Pradesh.”
“After we came to power, we made it clear that this was unacceptable and that Telangana must get 70 per cent of the assured 811 tmc ft of water in Krishna at 75 per cent dependability. We also informed the KWDT-II that at 65 per cent dependability, of the total 1,005 tmc ft under this regime, Telangana should get around 700 tmc ft from Krishna,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana presented its arguments before the Krishna Waters Disputes Tribunal-II on its rightful and legitimate share from the river, adding that “I am the only irrigation minister who for the first time ever, attended the tribunal hearings. Our government is committed to protecting Telangana’s river water rights and we will not let anyone, whether it is the Congress government in Karnataka, the TD government in AP, or the BJP government in Maharashtra to do as they please.”
On the issue of Karnataka planning to raise the height of Almatti dam, Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana was firmly opposed to such plans and will not allow Karnataka to go ahead with raising the dam’s height.