Kaleshwaram Row: BRS and Congress Clash Over Irrigation Project Management

The political disagreement over the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme has intensified, with the ruling Congress party and the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) presenting conflicting views on irrigation policy, project management, and allegations of corruption.

The latest development began on July 5 when BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) visited the Kannepally pump house. Despite police efforts to restrict the visit, KTR reached the site with party workers. The BRS portrayed this as a political victory and used it to revive debate on the project.

Speaking at the site, KTR said, 'Instead of preparing for a drought and protecting agriculture, the government is allowing precious water to go waste while farmers suffer.' He claimed that 26 of Telangana's 33 districts are facing drought-like conditions and urged the government to immediately operate the Kannepally pumps.

The Congress government responded promptly. Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy held a review meeting with officials, while Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, during a presentation on irrigation projects on July 7, defended the government's position. He stated that water cannot be lifted without adequate inflows and attributed current difficulties to decisions taken during the previous BRS regime. He challenged former chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) to a special joint session of the Assembly and Council to discuss Kaleshwaram.

The Congress has alleged that the redesign of the original Pranahita-Chevella project into Kaleshwaram led to inflated costs and substandard construction, resulting in damage to the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages. The BRS has denied wrongdoing, claiming that the government is using corruption allegations to divert attention from its own failure to operate the project and provide water to farmers.

Former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao held a separate presentation on July 8 rebutting the government's claims and challenged the Congress to hand over the irrigation department to him for a limited period to demonstrate the project's viability.

With both sides hardening their positions and a likely debate in the upcoming monsoon session of the Telangana Legislature, the Kaleshwaram project has once again become a central political issue in the state.