Hyderabad: Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao and BRS MLAs offered puja at Godavari waters at Mallanna Sagar reservoir, which was brimming with 21 tmcft water on Friday, September 20 while accusing the Congress of propaganda over the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS).

Harish Rao questioned how the Annapurna reservoir, Rangnayaka Sagar, Mallanna Sagar and Kondapochamma Sagar would be filled with Godavari water if the Kaleshwaram project was dysfunctional.

“Congress indulges in attention diversion politics, whereas BRS’ is water diversion politics. If it was not because of KCR, how could we fill 3 tmcft in Annapurna reservoir, 3 tmcft in Ranganayaka Sagar, 21 tmcft in Mallannna Sagar and 10 tmcft in Kondapochamma Sagar,” Harish Rao questioned, addressing media after performing puja at Mallanna Sagar.

Criticising the Congress for allegedly spreading propaganda that one lakh crore was wasted in the construction of the Kaleshwaram project, Harish Rao said that the water flowing in the Yellampally project, Laxmi barrage, all the reservoirs en route to Kondapochamma Sagar was a slap on the face the party’s “false propaganda”.

Expressing his happiness over Mallanna Sagar receiving 21 tmcft of water for the first time, Harish Rao said that 90 percent of the canal works under the ayacut of the reservoir were already completed, and urged the state government to complete the works for the minor and major distributary canals soon.

He said that crops in Medak, Siddipet and Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri districts were going to receive plenty of water for the coming Rabi season.

Citing chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s statements regarding supplying drinking water to Hyderabad and rejuvenating the Musi River, Harish Rao questioned whether these statements would have been possible without the construction of the Kaleshwaram project by BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao.

Questions delay in release of fish fingerlings by Congress govt

Highlighting that the previous BRS government had released fish fingerlings in the irrigation tanks and reservoirs in August of last year, Harish Rao demanded that the state government immediately release them to benefit the Bestha and Mudiraju communities.

“It was because of KCR all the irrigation tanks have been restored. KCR linked rivers with irrigation projects and filled the tanks even in times of deficient rains. All the tanks are now brimming with water. Congress should answer by when the fish fingerlings will be released,” Harish stated.