Opposition unite to take on govt’s unilateral irrigation designs
For the first time after formation of Telangana State, opposition parties, Congress, BJP, TDP and CPM have come together on one platform demanding that Narayanpet, Makthal and Kodangal Lift irrigation project be taken up.
Mahbubnagar: For the first time after formation of Telangana State, opposition parties, Congress, BJP, TDP and CPM have come together on one platform demanding that Narayanpet, Makthal and Kodangal Lift irrigation project be taken up.
The opposition parties took out a ‘maha padayatra’ and held a public rally at Bhootpur project. The opposition parties have launched the 13-day 240 kilometre long walkathon covering 10 mandals, 64 villages from Palamuru to Naraynpet.
This, according to the opposition parties, marks a new beginning as they propose to organise joint struggles to highlight the failures of the Government in future as well. All these parties decided to extend full support to the Jalasadhana Samiti till the government rescinds its decision to scrap the project.
According to Congress vice-president Mallu Ravi, the State Government had issued GO 69 when the state was under President’s rule after the bifurcation of the State allocating 7 tmc ft of water to the project.
But the TRS government had now dumped the project and wants to go ahead with Palamuru Ranga Reddy lift irrigation project which would go against the interests of farmers in Narayanpeta-Makthal and Kodangal, Ravi said.
Launching the padayatra, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader S Jaipal Reddy said, “Mahbubanagar is the most backward district in the state. Though the Bachawat tribunal has allocated 18 tmc ft of water to Jurala we are using much less water.
Even after formation of new state the present government was overlooking the needs of the backward areas of the district.” He said that they had expected the state would progress under the TRS regime after bifurcation but the government was taking unilateral decisions.
The TRS ministers were laying foundation stones for the very projects which were taken up by the Congress government. BJP leader Muralidhar Rao said that the Narayanpet-Makthal and Kodangal lift irrigation project would cater to the requirements of three constituencies in the district. He said if necessary they would take up the issue with the Central Government and would achieve the project at any cost.
According to Senior BJP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy, the government was doing injustice to the people of district by redesigning the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation project. He said the state government is trying to divert water to Dindi project in Nalgonda without meeting the requirements of the people of Mahbubnagar.
TDP senior leader R Chandrasekhar Reddy said that the TRS government had targeted TDP as it had been exposing the corruption in the government and was trying to project that TDP was an Andhra party. He said the T-TDP would continue to extend its support to the Jalasadhana Samithi till the goal was achieved.
T-TDP president L Ramana said from now onwards opposition parties would take up issue-based fight against the government. The local pending issues would be identified by the parties soon and a joint action would be worked out.
Reacting to this, TRS MLA from Mahbubnagar Srinivas Goud said the maha padayatra was a big drama being enacted by the opposition parties to fool the people. The Congress and TDP had ruled the state for 60 years but they could not provide water to even one lakh acres. After formation of Telangana, the TRS government had provided water to 4.5 lakh acres in just two years.
When asked whether is it not true that changes in design of the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift irrigation project will deprive the interests of farmers in Narayanpeta-Makthal and Kodangal, Reddy said, “They are arguing that water must be lifted from Jurala project for filling up the newly-constructed reservoirs under PRRLI. But the capacity of Jurala is only 8-9 tmc ft of water.
That being the case how would it be possible to lift 70-80 tmc ft to fill up the reservoirs, he asked. Therefore the government had designed to lift water from Srisailam project. Once the PRRLI is completed, we will provide water to Naraynpeta-Makthal and Kodangal from Udandapur and Hemasamudram reservoirs. The state government will definitely meet the requirements of Narayanpeta farmers.
