BRS slams Congress govt over El Niño crisis

Hyderabad: BRS MLC Dr Sravan Kumar Dasoju on Monday accused the Congress government of failing to address Telangana’s drought and El Niño crisis, alleging administrative negligence and delayed action despite early warnings about deficient rainfall.

In an open letter to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Dasoju criticised the constitution of the committee through GO Ms No. 1523 on October 19, describing it as a belated exercise without a clear deadline or dedicated relief budget. He alleged that the government’s handling of water resources, power procurement and drought preparedness had worsened farmers’ distress. He also claimed that more than 1,000 TMC of Pranahita floodwater had flowed downstream without being utilised.

Dasoju said reservoir levels were declining, agricultural crops were under stress and drinking water supplies faced mounting pressure. He questioned the government’s preparedness for rising electricity demand and the adequacy of emergency drinking water allocations.

The BRS leader placed five demands before the government: a 15-day deadline for the committee’s initial report, special sessions of the Assembly and Council, a`20,000-crore emergency supplementary budget, a comprehensive white paper on drought mitigation and water and power management, and immediate per-acre compensation for affected farmers, including tenant cultivators.

He also demanded written, data-backed replies to all 23 questions raised in his open letter before the committee’s first meeting.

Dasoju urged the government to take immediate measures to protect farmers, secure drinking water supplies and mitigate the impact of the anticipated drought.

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Venkateshwarlu Kolishetty

Venkateshwarlu Kolishetty