HYDERABAD
Senior leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and former minister T. Harish Rao has alleged that withering crops in different parts of the State due to lack of water for irrigation is not due to any natural calamity but a man-made problem by the Congress government.
Speaking in Jangaon on Monday, he said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is making meaningless comments stating that BRS leaders are enjoying the condition of withering of crops due to high temperatures. However, the fact that compared to 2023-24, there were copious rains in 2024-25 agriculture year with a huge volume of water flowing into the sea from both Godavari and Krishna rivers, he said.
He pointed out that standing crops on about one-lakh acres were withering in combined Warangal district alone as the State government had failed to give even available water. The government could have well lifted Godavari water to save the crops, while the inquiry into the damage of a block in Medigadda Barrage and restoration work could go on simultaneously, he said.
Mr. Harish Rao demanded that the government start pumping water from at least third phase motors of the Devadula project to save the standing crops from withering. He stated that non-payment of O&M bills to the Devadula contractor had forced the latter to keep the motors (pumping) switched-off for the last 33 days.
He observed that Mr. Revanth Reddy is offering ‘guru dakshina’ to his political mentor A.P. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu by staying silent diversion of Krishna waters, and plans to divert Godavari water.
Published – March 11, 2025 12:06 am IST