Hyderabad, Oct 24 : Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has blamed the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government for worsening the impact of El Niño and drought conditions in the state. He alleged that delays in completing major irrigation projects and the improper use of loans affected Telangana’s ability to manage water shortages.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the impact of El Niño would have been less severe if the previous government had completed projects such as Pranahita-Chevella and the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC).
He alleged that the BRS government failed to use the funds raised through loans effectively, leaving farmers and the public more vulnerable to drought conditions.
Uttam Kumar Reddy Criticises BRS Over Medigadda Barrage Damage
The minister also criticised BRS leaders for visiting the Medigadda barrage of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project and accusing the Congress government of allowing water to flow out of the structure.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Medigadda barrage suffered major damage during the previous BRS regime. He cited findings by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), which identified deficiencies in the barrage’s design and construction.
He said the Congress government was working to rehabilitate the three damaged barrages of the Kaleshwaram project — Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla — with the assistance of international experts.
According to the minister, lifting water from the damaged barrages was not possible because the NDSA had recommended keeping their gates open in view of the structural damage.
Irrigation Projects: Minister Questions BRS Government’s Record
Uttam Kumar Reddy accused the previous government of failing to deliver on its irrigation commitments. He questioned the progress of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, Sitarama Sagar and the SLBC project.
He also questioned why the Kaleshwaram project’s barrages suffered damage and challenged the BRS leadership to explain the outcomes achieved through its irrigation investments.
Telangana Records High Paddy Cultivation and Procurement
The irrigation minister claimed that Telangana recorded its highest-ever paddy cultivation and procurement during the Congress government’s tenure, despite the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages remaining out of use.
In July, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the state government was targeting the completion of rehabilitation works on the damaged Kaleshwaram barrages by July-August 2027.
The Kaleshwaram project is a multipurpose irrigation scheme built across the Godavari River in Telangana’s Bhupalpally district. Damage to its barrages became a major political issue during the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections.
The latest remarks have renewed the political debate between the Congress and BRS over irrigation infrastructure, project implementation and responsibility for Telangana’s drought-related challenges.
