Kumuram Bheem Asifabad, May 8 (RAHNUMA): Minister for Labour and Mines Minister Dr. G. Vivek Venkataswamy alleged that the previous BRS government deliberately weakened the Pranahita-Chevella project and constructed the Kaleshwaram project only to earn commissions.
The Minister, who visited the Tummidihatti project area along with Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Friday, spoke to the media after performing Jalaharathi in the Pranahita river.
Minister Vivek shared that about ₹1,100 crore had already been spent on the Pranahita-Chevella project and a large part of the work had been completed. He said if another ₹25,000 crore had been allocated, the project would have been completed.
Vivek recalled that former union minister Kaka Venkataswamy strongly felt that the project was essential to solve the drinking and irrigation water problems of North Telangana.
The Minister said the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy recognised this need and laid the foundation stone for the Pranahita-Chevella project.
He explained that during the Kiran Kumar Reddy government, an agreement was reached to fix the height of the project at 152 meters.
“With that, only about 5,000 acres would have been submerged in Maharashtra, and it would have been enough to pay ₹5,000 crore as compensation,” he said.
The Minister criticised that after the formation of Telangana State, the KCR government reduced the height of the project to 148 meters and weakened Pranahita-Chevella.
Vivek alleged that the Kaleshwaram project was built only for earning commissions and some contractors benefited hugely from it.
The Minister said that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is now taking steps to revive the Tummidihatti project, which will provide irrigation to 2 lakh acres, keeping in mind the interests of the people of North Telangana.
He revealed that the Chief Minister will soon visit Tummidihatti and start the related works.
Vivek Venkatswamy appealed to all elected representatives from Telangana, especially BJP leaders, to meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and work to get permission for a height of 150 meters.
MLC Dande Vittal, MLAs Gaddam Vinod, Palvai Harish Babu, District Collector K Haritha, SP Nitika Pant and others participated in the programme.
