AICC secretary Ch Vamshichand Reddy has alleged that not even 10% of the Palamoor-Rangareddy Irrigation project was completed even after five years though Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao repeatedly promised to complete it in three years.
Due to the non-completion of the project Telangana was unable to use its allocated water in the Krishna River and the government is responsible for it, he said at a press conference. He said the foundation stone was laid by KCR on June 11, 2015 and due to the inefficiency of the CM the project is not destined to be completed.
Mr. Reddy said due to the indefinite delay project’s new cost estimate has now jumped to ₹ 60,000 crore from ₹ 35,200 crore earlier. Notably, the government announced that it has spent only ₹ 7000 crore on the project in the last five years. Who should be held responsible and accountable for this delay and wastage of money? he asked. He also referred to the delay in land acquisition of 3854 acres necessary for the project and the survey for the main canal and distributory channels that has not been taken up so far. He alleged that the government has redesigned the first pump house only to obtain commissions.
He reminded that the Krishna River Management Board, during the water year 2019-2020 allocated 333TMCs to Telangana but it could use only 273 TMC ft and failed to use 60 TMC ft due to delay in the execution of Palamoor Rangareddy Lift Irrigation project.
The Congress leader demanded that 3 TMC ft be allotted every day to Palamoor-Rangareddy lift irrigation and based on the water allotment to Jurala, new projects should be designed and executed in order to facilitate a total release of 150 TMC ft which is 5TMC ft per day for 30 flood days declared. He also wanted that water should be allocated to Dindi project without any link to Palamoor-Rangareddy project.