TDP flays CM for no water flow in Kuppam branch canal

Tirupati: The ruling YSR Congress Party claims credit for bringing irrigation water to the Kuppam Assembly constituency, represented by former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu. However, the TDP has dismissed it as an election gimmick, stating that there is no real flow of water in the canal.

Soon after the inauguration on Monday, TDP workers sat in protest inside the dry canal near Santhipuram village to demonstrate the lack of water flow. They criticised the Chief Minister for deceiving people with false promises.

On Tuesday, senior TDP leader and former MLC Gounivari Srinivasulu inspected the canal and addressed the media in Ramakuppam. He claimed the initial water flow released by the CM has already been absorbed into the dry soil after reaching up to Gudisettipalle village. The remaining water has been diverted into the Maddikunta tank.

Srinivasulu termed the entire water release as a political stunt by the ruling party ahead of elections. He rebuffed the CM's statement of completing the 672-km Kuppam branch canal and bringing Srisailam water to the area. "The canal project was actually sanctioned by the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in 2015 to bring Handri Neeva water to Kuppam. Prior to that, the plan was to take the HNSS water up to Punganur constituency only," Srinivasulu said.

He alleged that the water works were deliberately stalled by then YSRCP constituency in-charge K Chandramouli who was behind the farmers in filing cases in the High court and stayed the works. Yet, the TDP government could complete the works up to 87 percent whereas the YSRCP government took five years to finish the balance 13 per cent and finally claiming now that it has completed the works to get political mileage.

Srinivasulu lamented that had the canal been completed on priority in the first year of the YSRCP government itself, the region could have greatly benefited with stable water supply to tanks and improved groundwater levels by now. About 4 lakh people of Kuppam and Palamaner constituencies would have benefited immensely with that, he pointed out.