Hyderabad: Telangana irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that BRS leader T Harish Rao was indulging in “false propaganda and fabricated stories” to mislead the people on irrigation issues. He asserted that the Congress govt remained fully committed to safeguarding Telangana’s water rights and would firmly defend every state project before the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB).Responding to Harish Rao’s criticism over the agenda of the proposed GRMB meeting on August 18, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the issues listed by AP were neither new nor unexpected. He pointed out that AP had been raising identical objections before the GRMB, Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for the past 12 years, irrespective of which party was in power in Telangana.Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress govt had consistently and successfully countered AP’s objections with strong legal and technical submissions. He cited the successful Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) clearance secured on April 24, 2025, for the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project as evidence that the State was effectively protecting Telangana’s interests despite repeated objections from AP.“AP had opposed approvals for seven major Telangana projects, including Kaleshwaram, Sitarama, Sammakka Sagar, Chinna Kaleshwaram, Chanaka-Korata, Modikunta Vagu and Gudem Lift Irrigation Scheme. However, the Telangana govt had successfully defended its projects before the competent authorities,” he said.Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the previous BRS govt had failed to safeguard Telangana’s interests despite remaining in power for nearly a decade. He questioned whether the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme, Pattiseema Lift Scheme and the Polavaram-Banakacherla project had progressed during the BRS regime.“The BRS govt itself had advocated the constitution of a Krishna Water Tribunal during earlier GRMB and apex council meetings. In contrast, the Congress had acted with foresight and successfully prevented the constitution of such a tribunal through sustained engagement with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti,” the minister said.
