Hyderabad: Government apathy turned Telangana bone dry said Uttam Kumar Reddy

Hyderabad: TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday strongly condemned Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for his failure to fill the Manjeera project with Godavari River water. He was addressing the media persons after he and other senior Congress leaders including Sangareddy MLA Jagga Reddy and PCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy were arrested by the police when they tried to visit Manjeera Dam. Uttam said that it was due to the negligence of the TRS government that it has turned dry.

"CM KCR had announced several times, both in the Assembly and outside, that the Manjeera project would be filled up with Godavari water. Today the Manjeera Project is bone dry. The groundwater has also has hit rock bottom in Andhole, Narayankhed, Zaheerabad, Patancheruvu, Narsapur, Medak and Sangareddy. All these constituencies do not have irrigation or even drinking water now. Borewells are being dug up to 1200 feet to get water," he said.

He said KCR has been making false claims on irrigation facilities. He said the existing ayacut in Telangana was in existence at the time of its formation and the TRS government did not add an acre to it. Uttam condemns police behaviour Uttam Kumar Reddy condemned the behaviour of Telangana Police and described the arrests of Congress leaders as completely illegal. He said that the Congress leaders had a right to visit the Manjeera Dam or any other irrigation project for inspection. However, police have been acting in a partisan manner by preventing the Congress leaders from visiting those places. He alleged that the State police have apparently become KCR's personal force.

He said when police could permit leaders of the ruling party to visit project sites then why the Congress leaders were being denied permission. He said over 2,000 people participated in the inauguration of Konda Pochamma Sagar project recently by the Chief Minister. The lockdown norms were openly violated by the Chief Minister himself by not wearing a mask or maintaining social distance.

Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with MLA Jagga Reddy and other leaders were detained at BDL Bhanur police station in Patancheruvu constituency.