Hyderabad: Telangana irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress govt would complete the Sitarama lift irrigation project, Sitamma Sagar project and Devadula lift irrigation scheme during its present term. He said irrigation had been accorded the highest priority by the state govt and assured that all administrative, financial and legal hurdles would be resolved to ensure timely completion of these projects.Addressing a review meeting at the Sathupalli tunnel point after inspecting the Sitarama project along with deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the govt was accelerating works at every level.On the Sitamma Sagar project, the minister said the project had been facing legal hurdles, including proceedings before the National Green Tribunal, even before the Congress govt assumed office. He said the state was pursuing the matter vigorously in the Supreme Court and expected a positive outcome. If necessary, the govt would continue its legal fight through a Special Leave Petition while simultaneously securing all pending Central clearances, he added.Uttam Kumar said Telangana had secured the final Central Water Commission clearance for utilisation of 67 tmcft of Godavari water for the Sitarama project after he assumed charge as irrigation minister. He said this approval would significantly strengthen the project’s implementation.The minister also referred to the recent review of the Devadula lift irrigation scheme and said that although the BRS govt had spent enormous amounts on irrigation between 2014 and 2023, it had failed to complete Sitarama, Sitamma Sagar and Devadula projects.He assured that all three projects would be completed during the Congress govt’s tenure and that adequate Godavari waters would be utilised for irrigation.Referring to the history of irrigation projects in the region, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress govt had earlier initiated the Rajiv Sagar and Indira Sagar projects, which could have achieved similar irrigation benefits at much lower cost if they had been completed on time. The govt would ensure that the works on the projects progressed strictly in accordance with environmental laws, engineering standards and statutory procedures, he said.
