CityLightBuzz: Former MLA Bollam Mallaiah Yadav strongly criticised the Telangana government over its handling of Krishna and Godavari river waters and alleged that the recent Varuna Yagam at Nagarjuna Sagar was conducted by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy for political reasons.
Speaking at a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, Mallaiah Yadav alleged that the government conducted the Varuna Yagam to divert public attention and protect its political positions rather than address the problems faced by farmers.‘Government Should Have Apologised to Farmers’
Mallaiah Yadav said the government should have first apologised to farmers for what he described as failures in water management before conducting the Varuna Yagam.
He alleged that the Revanth Reddy government had failed to effectively utilise Telangana’s share of Krishna waters and claimed that the state was allowing water to flow to Andhra Pradesh without adequately protecting Telangana’s interests.
He also criticised the government for not taking a strong stand against alleged projects being undertaken by Karnataka on the Tungabhadra and Bhima rivers.
Allegations Over Lift Irrigation. The former MLA alleged that the government was failing to utilise available water through lift irrigation projects.
He claimed that large quantities of water were being wasted near Kannapalli while the government was not operating the necessary lifting infrastructure. He demanded that the Kannapalli pump be switched on immediately and that available water from the Godavari and Krishna rivers be diverted to tanks and agricultural lands.
According to Mallaiah Yadav, effective utilisation of the available water could have helped provide irrigation water to farmers up to Suryapet.
Criticism Over SLBC Tunnel Incident
Mallaiah Yadav also raised concerns over the SLBC tunnel incident, alleging that eight people lost their lives and criticising Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy over the handling of the situation.He accused the government of making statements about irrigation while, according to him, failing to adequately address the concerns surrounding the tunnel project.
‘Government Must Focus on Water, Not Political Issues’ The former MLA alleged that the government was more focused on political and commission-related matters than on farmers’ welfare. He said the state should not depend solely on religious rituals for rainfall and should instead take concrete measures to conserve and utilise every available drop of water. “Instead of putting everything in God’s hands, the government should sincerely work towards utilising the Godavari and Krishna waters,” he said. Criticism Over Harish Rao Remarks.Mallaiah Yadav also alleged that Congress leaders were deliberately trying to tarnish the image of BRS leader T. Harish Rao by making allegations regarding so-called ‘black magic’ or ‘evil rituals’.He countered the allegations by accusing Congress leaders of being the “real destructive forces” and said the BRS leadership had worked towards making Telangana agriculturally prosperous.
Call to Utilise Every Drop of Water .Mallaiah Yadav urged the government to immediately take steps to utilise the water currently flowing in the Godavari and Krishna rivers.
He demanded that the government:
Immediately activate the Kannapalli pump
Utilise available Godavari and Krishna waters
Divert river water to tanks and agricultural lands
Strengthen lift irrigation operations
Protect Telangana’s rightful share of Krishna waters
Take effective measures to prevent water wastage
He alleged that Telangana was facing the possibility of drought and drinking-water shortages due to what he described as the government’s failure to properly manage available water resources. Mallaiah Yadav called upon the government to “open its eyes” and ensure that every available drop of water is effectively utilised for farmers and the people of Telangana.
Ravi Naik and Fayaz also participated in the press conference held at Telangana Bhavan. Note: The above allegations are attributed to former MLA Bollam Mallaiah Yadav and the BRS. Claims regarding water allocations, projects and government decisions represent his statements; responses from the Telangana government and the concerned ministers should be considered separately.
