By Express News Service
HYDERABAD: Irrigation minister T Harish Rao alleged that Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Congress leaders were opposing the construction of irrigation projects in Telangana. Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, the irrigation minister said: “I can understand AP chief minister opposing Telangana projects, but the Telangana Congress leaders too are opposing them. Naidu is opposing Kaleshwaram fearing that Godavari water will not flow down to AP. But, why are Congress leaders of Telangana opposing the projects?” Harish Rao wondered.
At a press meet, Harish Rao, while using his tab to show videos on how the Congress conspired against the projects, said: “Telangana Congress leaders are spreading blatant lies against irrigation projects. Snakes eat their owns eggs. Likewise, the Telangana Congress leaders are harming the people from their own state,” Harish Rao alleged.The Congress knew that once water from Kaleshwaram project was supplied to farmers, then the Congress would cease to exist in the state. “The Congress leaders are against the projects out of malice, as they cannot come to power once Kaleshwaram is completed,” the irrigation minister said.
On the Congress’ allegation of cost escalation of Kaleshwaram project, Rao explained that due to the cost in land acquisition, construction of more number of barrages and other reasons, project cost increased.
Harish Rao recalled that the Pranahita-Chevella originally sanctioned in 2007 with an estimated cost of Rs 17,875 crore. The Congress assured that the project would be completed in four years. “But, without doing any work in the four year term, the Congress revised the Pranahita-Chevella estimates as Rs 38,500 crore in 2008. Later in a letter to the Central Water Commission, the Congress mentioned the project cost as Rs 40,000 crore in 2010. These estimates are revised without grounding any work,” Harish Rao said. “The government is in a hurry to complete the Kaleshwaram to ensure that the project cost would not escalate further. That is why we are borrowing money form banks and completing the project on a war footing,” Harish Rao said.
Wardha Barrage
Harish Rao told reporters that they were thinking of constructing a barrage across Wardha river to provide irrigation water to around 2 lakh acres in Adilabad district. The new proposed barrage will come up above the proposed Tummadihatti barrage, originally conceived by the previous Congress government. “The Water and Power Consultancy Services Limited confirmed that at the proposed Wardha barrage site, 20 tmc water required for Adilabad district is available,” Rao said.
‘Cost increased in the name of redesigning’
Refuting allegations levelled by irrigation minister T Harish Rao against the Congress, Congress leader A Revanth Reddy claimed that the then Congress government spent `11,000 crore for the construction of Pranahita-Chevella project. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Revanth Reddy recalled that there was no mention in the TRS manifesto about the re-engineering and re-designing of irrigation projects. But, in the name of redesigning, the cost of Kaleshwaram was increased from `34,000 crore to `84,000 crore, Reddy alleged.
