Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader T Harish Rao on Sunday lashed out at Irrigation Mister N Uttam Kumar Reddy for making ‘misleading’ political remarks on the Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project. He said it was not just a project, but it was the lifeline of Khammam’s farmers.

“The Congress is sabotaging it with lies,” alleged Rao, lashing out at Reddy. He accused the Congress of gaining power through falsehoods and continuing the same deceit in governance. He said that despite receiving all necessary approvals from the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Hydrology Directorate, the Congress was intentionally misguiding people by falsely claiming the project lacks permissions.

Rao said the Sita Rama project was designed by the BRS government as a comprehensive solution to address irrigation needs in Khammam, Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Mahabubabad districts. The project, he said, was conceptualised by K Chandrashekar Rao to overcome inter-State disputes and forest clearance hurdles caused by earlier flawed Congress designs like Rajiv Sagar and Indira Sagar. He lambasted the Congress leadership for filing cases in the Green Tribunal to halt the project and obstructing environmental approvals. Despite these challenges, the BRS ensured the project’s progress, significantly increasing irrigation coverage from 3.33 lakh acres to 6.74 lakh acres and water storage from 1.2 tmcft to 10 tmcft.

Criticising Reddy’s statement that the project lacks permissions, Rao called it a sign of ignorance or deliberate misinformation. He clarified that all permissions except for the final TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) approval are in place and suggested that the minister verify facts with department officials before making public statements.