Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao on Monday alleged a deliberate Congress-BJP nexus behind the Telangana government's refusal to lift Godavari waters through the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, even as tens of TMCs of water flow unused into the sea. Speaking after inspecting the Mid Manair Reservoir in Karimnagar district, Rama Rao warned of a statewide BRS agitation if the Congress government failed to act immediately.

What KTR Alleged at Mid Manair

Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, said the Congress-led state government was allowing standing crops to wither by denying irrigation water while massive quantities of Godavari water continued to flow downstream unused. He pointed out that neighbouring Andhra Pradesh was successfully lifting the same water for its own agricultural needs, accusing Telangana's government of serving the interests of other states at the cost of its own farmers.

KTR noted that before the Congress assumed power, the Mid Manair Reservoir remained consistently full; today, he said, it is drying up due to what he described as deliberate government inaction. He argued that lifting water from the Kannepalli Pump House could immediately address both irrigation and drinking water shortages in the region.

The Congress-BJP Charge

KTR accused both the Indian National Congress (Congress) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of working in tandem on the Kaleshwaram issue. While the state's own Irrigation Minister had reportedly acknowledged that repair works on the project were complete, the government continued to cite the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report as justification for not lifting water.

KTR dismissed the NDSA report as politically motivated, calling it a 'Shikhandi Report' and alleging it was prepared under the BJP-led NDA government to malign Telangana. He further alleged that the Congress administration was acting out of political vendetta against the previous BRS government and was ignoring recommendations from retired irrigation engineers, technical experts, and the Opposition.

Technical Case Made by KTR

Rama Rao pointed out that lakhs of cusecs of water were flowing past Medigadda, and that the government had the technical capacity to lift nearly 2 TMC of water through the Kannepalli Pump House without even lowering the Medigadda barrage gates. Despite being fully aware of these possibilities, he said, the government was choosing inaction over farmer welfare.

He also refuted Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's claim that there was no flood flow in the Godavari, asserting that enormous quantities of water were flowing downstream every single day.

Drought Warning and Hyderabad Water Risk

KTR cautioned that with El Nino conditions prevailing, Telangana could soon face severe agricultural distress and a major drinking water crisis. He warned that if water was not lifted into the Yellampalli reservoir, even Hyderabad could face drinking water shortages. He recalled that under the previous BRS government, Kaleshwaram water had ensured uninterrupted drinking water supply to Karimnagar city, whereas residents today were reportedly struggling for basic water access.

KTR urged the government to immediately resume lifting water through Kaleshwaram and warned that if it failed to act, BRS would announce a statewide agitation under the directions of party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). With drought fears mounting and the Godavari in flow, the political pressure on the Revanth Reddy government is set to intensify in the days ahead.