BRS MLA Harish Rao has accused the Congress government of negligence and inaction as Andhra Pradesh continues to divert Krishna waters illegally, severely affecting Telangana’s irrigation and drinking water schemes.
Addressing a press meeting at the Telangana Bhavan on Thursday, Harish said that while lakhs of acres in Telangana are facing drought-like conditions and drinking water shortages loom, the Congress government remains indifferent.
He stated that under Congress rule, Telangana has been left vulnerable, with Andhra Pradesh drawing 10,000 cusecs of water daily from the right canal of Nagarjuna Sagar without any resistance from the Telangana government. “The Irrigation Minister is silent, and the Chief Minister is watching helplessly while our rightful water is being stolen,” he remarked.
He said that either Revanth had surrendered to Chandrababu Naidu or this is the government’s failure.
Harish pointed out that while the BRS government had ensured water supply to Telangana, the Congress government is only watching as water is diverted.
“Since the last three months, Andhra Pradesh has been removing 10,000 cusecs daily from the Nagarjuna Sagar. What are the Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister doing?” he asked.
He said that Andhra Pradesh has already exceeded its temporary allocation of 512 TMC by utilizing 657 TMC from Krishna waters, yet the Congress government remains passive. He criticised the government’s failure to take control of the Nagarjuna Sagar, despite the Assembly passing a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the CRPF and asserting Telangana’s authority over the project.
Harish Rao presented alarming statistics, revealing that in the last 25 days alone, 60 TMCs had been diverted by Andhra Pradesh, averaging 2 TMC per day.
He said that as per the agreed water-sharing ratio, Telangana should receive 343 TMC, but it has only used 220 TMC so far, meaning 123 TMC is still pending. Andhra Pradesh, on the other hand, should have received only 666 TMC but has already taken 657 TMC, leaving only 9 TMC as per the agreement.
He accused the Congress government of failing to prevent water theft, questioning why it had not pressured the Centre or confronted Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. “They lack the guts to challenge Chandrababu or question the Centre. The same leaders who shout at the opposition in the Telangana Assembly are silent when it comes to Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Harish warned that the existing 100 TMC of water in Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar is at risk of being diverted, leading to severe shortages for drinking water in Hyderabad, Khammam, Mahbubabad, Nalgonda, and Suryapet.
He pointed out that nearly 6.38 lakh acres of farmland under the Sagar left canal and AMR SLBC project need urgent irrigation, requiring at least 30 to 35 TMCs.
He demanded that the Telangana government immediately exert pressure on the Centre to halt Andhra Pradesh’s water diversion and take decisive action to secure the state’s water rights. “Let’s go and protest before the KRMB and the Union Jal Shakti Ministry. If you are incapable, we will lead the protest,” he challenged the Congress government.
Harish also took a dig at Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, calling him a “disciple of Chandrababu Naidu” and alleging that his administration was making it easier for AP to divert water. He criticised the absence of Telangana’s voice in Parliament, saying that neither Congress nor BJP MPs were standing up for the state’s interests.
