Produce letter: Uma to Harish

​Eluru: Water Resources Minister Devineni Uma Maheswararao challenged the Telangana Minister T Harishrao to produce the letter supposedly written by Kurnool Collector on RDS and other related projects before the media.

• Claims that Kurnool Collector has not written any letter on RDS and other projects
• States that raising the level by 6 inches is unfair as it will affect 2.74 lakh acres depending on K-C canal

Addressing a press conference at Zilla parishad guest house, here on Wednesday, the Minister said that Harish Rao has demanded the Andhra Pradesh government to withdraw the letter said to be written by Kurnool Collector with regard to the irrigation projects within two days. Uma challenged Harish Rao to make it public within two months and rules out any such letter to Telangana government.

The Minister stated that with regard to the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy projects, permissions were given only for joint survey only. No permission to construct the projects, he added. He pointed out that the TRS Minister Harish Rao has given two days time to withdraw the Collector’s letter to the TRS government.

“I challenge Harish Rao to produce the so-called letter written by Kurnool Collector. I am giving you two months time and even two years, if necessary, to bring that letter into public domain”, the Minister angrily said.

The Minister stated that the RDS and other projects are not the issue between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments.

But it is the issue involving three States of Andhra, Telangana and Karnataka. He said on the upper catchment area, the Karnataka government was constructing 12 dams from Tungabhadra dam to Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) and diverting the water to their fields.

Devineni pointed out that under the pretext of modernisation, to raise the level of projects six inches is not right as 2.74 lakh acres farmers are cultivating depending on K C canal. They are objecting to the rising by six inches, he stated.
He stated that to resolve problems of Krishna water a Krishna River Board (KRB) has been established by Centre, according to the A P Reorganisation Act.

He suggested Harish Rao to speak after gaining thorough knowledge on the topic since he is not new-bie Minister.
The Minister said that KRB has directed to release water of 4 tmc ft to Krishna Delta and 2 tmc ft to Mylavaram, Gannavaram and others areas if 68 tmc ft water reached Srisailam Project.

Uma said that the farmers have already approached court against the construction of Palamuru-Rangaredy project. The court will deliver the judgement on July 20, he pointed out. He called upon Telangana government to join hands to get our rightful water from the upper-riparian States.

Devineni also slammed opposition leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s Jala Deeksha. “Jagan and his associates acquired contracts worth Rs 10,000 crore from Telangana government for irrigation projects and here he is enacting a drama in the name of Jala deeksha to deceive people in AP” Devineni lambasted. Eluru MP Maganti Venkat-eswara Rao and others participated in the media conference.