Congress Minister Vows to Protect Telangana’s Krishna Water Rights
Hyderabad: Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, has assured that the Congress government is committed to safeguarding Telangana’s fair share of Krishna River water. He also highlighted the failures of the previous BRS government in protecting the state’s water rights.
During a debate on the Governor’s Address in the Assembly on Saturday, Reddy accused the BRS government of allowing Andhra Pradesh to take Telangana’s water unfairly. He claimed that the previous administration did not take action against illegal withdrawals, which harmed Telangana’s interests.
The Minister pointed out that Andhra Pradesh currently receives 512 TMC of Krishna River water, while Telangana gets only 299 TMC. He argued that this distribution is unfair since Telangana has a larger catchment area, drought-prone regions, and greater agricultural needs.
Reddy criticized the BRS government for failing to challenge this unequal water division. He stated that their inaction resulted in Telangana losing its rightful share. He also blamed them for allowing Andhra Pradesh to move forward with the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme by delaying an important Apex Council meeting that could have stopped the project.
The Minister further accused the BRS regime of not taking legal or political steps to prevent Andhra Pradesh from increasing its irrigation capacities and withdrawing more water than allowed. He said this failure let Andhra Pradesh continue excessive water use without facing any consequences.
To correct these mistakes, Reddy announced that the Congress government is now installing telemetry instruments at Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam Dams. These instruments will help monitor water levels and prevent unauthorized diversions by Andhra Pradesh.
He assured that the Congress government is determined to fight for Telangana’s water rights. “Unlike the previous government, we have reopened the Krishna water dispute and will ensure justice for Telangana,” he said.
