BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the government of conspiring to defame the previous BRS regime over the project.
KT Rama Rao during press conference. (Supplied)
BRS, it seems, has had enough of Congress’ incessant attack over Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme. Unwilling play on the defensive, as Congress tries to turn Kaleshwaram into a “symbol of KCR’s corruption”, anymore, BRS has decided to go on the offensive.
Opposition BRS in Telangana on Tuesday, 27 February, said they would undertake a visit — Chalo Medigadda — to the Kaleshwaram project’s Medigadda barrage on 1 March to explain its benefits to people.
The part said it would “expose” the Congress government’s efforts to defame their predecessor in poor light.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the government of conspiring to defame the previous BRS regime over the project. He announced that his party would undertake a “Chalo Medigadda” visit to explain the “comprehensive nature” of the Kaleshwaram project and its benefits to the people, he said.
About 150-200 BRS leaders, including MLAs, MPs and other leaders, would be part of the visit, he added. The BRS would clarify the doubts people had about the Kaleshwaram project, KT Rama Rao added.
Claiming that there have been several instances of irrigation projects suffering damage in India, he demanded that the Telangana government carry out repairs to the Medigadda barrage and provide water to the farmers.
The state government can conduct an inquiry into the damage in Medigadda barrage and take action accordingly, he said.
KT Rama Rao claimed that “small damage” is being shown through a magnifying glass.
Noting that a problem occurred in three out of the 84 piers in one (Medigadda) barrage, he claimed that an attempt is being made to gain political mileage by showing as if the whole project would be washed away.
Kaleshwaram project comprises three barrages, 15 reservoirs and 21 pumping stations, Rama Rao said.
“We have our doubts. Looking at the way (CM) Revanth Reddy is speaking and the statements being made, we feel that the (Congress) government has some conspiratorial thoughts. We feel that the government has an evil intent, a conspiracy that the three barrages of Kaleshwaram should wash away,” he alleged.
.@BRSparty Working President and MLA @KTRBRS announced a call for 'Chalo Medigadda' on March 1.
He stated, "The BRS party's MLAs, MLCs, MPs, former MLAs, former MLCs, and other prominent leaders will gather at Telangana Bhavan before departing for Medigadda. "Our objective is… pic.twitter.com/5OxddcaxSR
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) February 27, 2024
“In case the three barrages are washed away, by leaving them without carrying out repairs, during floods in the rainy season, we foresee a cheap way of thinking to say that those (structures) built by (former chief minister and BRS president) KCR (K Chandrashekar Rao) have been washed away,” he said.
Telangana farmers should see through the “conspiracy” when a government says that it does not want to take up repairs (immediately) and that water would not be filled in the barrages, he claimed.
The ruling Congress and the BRS have been engaged in a war of words over the damage to some piers of the Medigadda barrage.
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) found in November last year that the Medigadda barrage had been severely compromised, rendering it useless unless fully rehabilitated.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had alleged earlier this month that the Kaleshwaram project has become a “taint for the Telangana society” due to the damage to its barrages, the cost escalation and poor planning during the previous BRS regime as shown in the reports of CAG, vigilance and others.
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
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