Hyderabad: BRS MLA and former minister T. Harish Rao challenged Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy to prove that water could flow from Tummidihatti to Yellampalli by gravity alone. Speaking to reporters at Telangana Bhavan on October 26, he offered to resign as an MLA if the government demonstrated the proposal was technically feasible. In turn, he challenged Uttam Kumar Reddy to resign if the plan could not work.
Harish Rao demanded that the Congress government release the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed project. He raised the issue following Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He questioned the claim that water could reach Yellampalli from Tummidihatti without pumping.
The BRS leader called for technical evidence to support the proposal. He said the government must publicly disclose the DPR and establish whether gravity-based water transfer was practical. He reiterated that the resignation challenge depended on demonstrating the project’s feasibility.
Tummidihatti gravity link row widens to irrigation operations
Harish Rao also criticised the Congress government’s handling of irrigation projects and water resources. He claimed Andhra Pradesh had recorded a greater rainfall deficit than Telangana but had not faced a comparable crop holiday.
He alleged that inadequate operation of irrigation pumps had worsened agricultural distress in Telangana. “Had the pumps at Devadula been operated, Warangal district would not have faced drought,” he said. He also questioned why authorities were not lifting water from Srisailam despite its availability.
Further, Harish Rao alleged that only two of the five motors at the Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Project were operating. According to him, those two motors ran for just two hours. He demanded an explanation for the limited pumping despite the reported availability of water.
The former minister sought a white paper on pump operations at the Devadula and Kalwakurthy projects. He also demanded details of the water drawn by Andhra Pradesh from the Srisailam reservoir. In addition, he asked the government to disclose how much water Telangana had lifted from the reservoir.
Harish Rao questioned why authorities had not lifted water at Kannepalli when an opportunity was available. He alleged that the government’s failure to use irrigation infrastructure had contributed to water shortages affecting farmers. “This is not a drought caused by nature; it is undoubtedly a drought created by the Congress government,” he alleged.
He maintained that the government must explain its decisions on pump operations and irrigation water distribution. However, the allegations and claims about project operations were made by Harish Rao.
Harish Rao questions timing of Maharashtra talks
Referring to Revanth Reddy’s meeting with Fadnavis, Harish Rao accused the Congress government of delaying talks with Maharashtra. He said the previous BRS government had initiated discussions with Maharashtra within 42 days of taking office in 2014.
By contrast, he claimed Revanth Reddy held talks with Maharashtra only after completing 1,000 days in office. “After wasting three years, he has now gone to Maharashtra,” Harish Rao said. He linked the discussions to his demand for clarity on the Tummidihatti project’s technical feasibility.
The BRS MLA again called for the release of the DPR. He insisted that the government establish whether water could reach Yellampalli from Tummidihatti without pumping.
