POCHAMPAD (NIZAMABAD): Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao urged people to question Congress leaders who had filed court cases against irrigation projects in the state.

“They (Congress leaders) are creating hurdles by filing a series of cases against irrigation projects,” he said. Ninety-six cases have been filed against the Mallannasagar project, he said. “People will pay a heavy price if they are silent on the court cases filed by Congress leaders,” he warned.

Mr Rao was speaking at a foundation stone-laying ceremony for the `1,067-crore Sriramsagar Project Restoration Scheme here on Thursday. Deputy CM Kadiam Srihari, ministers Etala Rajender, T. Harish Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and A. Indrakaran Reddy, MPs Kalvakuntla Kavitha, D Srinivas, MLAs, MLCs and other TRS leaders were present.

Mr Rao said the Congress and the TD had ignored irrigation projects in the region in undivided AP. He recalled that he had visited the Sriramsagar project in 1996 along with local TD leaders and was shocked to see its pathetic condition. “I thought only formation of Telangana state would change the fate of irrigation projects,” he said.

The SRSP restoration project will be completed next August at an estimated cost of Rs 1,067 crore. Once it is in operation, there will be no need to depend on the rain for cultivation of crops under the area served by the project, he said.

Mr Rao said about 230 tmc ft of water was being released into the sea from the river Godavari at Medigadda, whereas upstream areas, including the SRSP don’t get a single drop.

The new project will benefit the farmers of 44 villages in undivided Nizamabad, Adilabad and Karimnagar districts, and around 40 lakh acres will be irrigated in the near future.

Mr Rao claimed that electricity problems had been solved in Telan-gana state and 24-hour, three-phase power will be available by the next yasangi season.

Barrages on the river Godavari and a lift irrigation system will allow two crops to be sown. Tourism will be developed between SRSP and Basar, the Chief Minister said. Mr Rao had arrived here on Wednesday evening. He left for home in a helicopter.

KCR recalls Nehru, Indira
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the foundation stone for the Sri-ramsagar project and Mrs Indira Gandhi had inaugurated it, but it was not fully developed to meet its targeted irrigation project, Chief Minister K. Chandra-sekhar Rao said.

He said that farmers in the area covered by the SRSP would be able to cultivate two crops. The scheme would be completed in time.