KCR Calls for ‘Water War’ to Secure Irrigation for Telangana Farmers

BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao has called for a fresh political movement to fight for irrigation and drinking water for Telangana. Addressing the joint meeting of BRS legislators and MLCs at Erravelli ahead of the Assembly session, KCR said the Telangana movement and the sacrifices made for statehood were primarily aimed at securing water, jobs and resources for the people.

KCR alleged that the Congress government was neglecting major irrigation projects despite the availability of water in reservoirs such as Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam. He questioned why the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, which he claimed was about 90% complete during the previous BRS government, was not being fully utilised. He also demanded that the government explain why steps were not being taken to restore and operate the Kaleshwaram project. KCR warned that if the alleged neglect continued, he would consult senior party leaders and announce a programme involving lakhs of people for the protection of Telangana’s irrigation interests.

During the nearly three-hour meeting, KCR discussed the strategy BRS legislators should follow during the Assembly and Council sessions. He asked them to question the Congress government over its election guarantees, welfare schemes, unemployment notifications and job calendar, fee reimbursement dues, restrictions on land transactions, and issues concerning poor and middle-class families.

KCR also directed party members to raise concerns over Mission Bhagiratha, government schools and residential educational institutions, law and order, women’s safety, electricity policies, employees’ and retired employees’ pending benefits, and the implementation of the Pay Revision Commission. He criticised the government’s decisions concerning the Pharma City, Future City, Singareni, Hyderabad Metro Rail and the proposed Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project.

The BRS chief urged legislators to strongly question what he described as corruption, political favouritism and failures in governance. He also expressed concern over the condition of educational institutions and alleged that the state’s law-and-order situation had deteriorated. KTR, BRS legislators and MLCs, along with other senior party leaders, attended the meeting.