Telangana’s Irrigation Minister, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, recently announced that the state government is preparing to present a robust case opposing Karnataka’s proposal to increase the height of the Almatti Dam.
Speaking from Palakeedu mandal in Suryapet district on Sunday, the Minister confirmed that the Supreme Court is currently hearing the matter. He further stated his intention to travel to Delhi on Monday, September 22, to personally advocate for Telangana’s interests. ‘Our state’s rightful share in the vital Krishna and Godavari river waters will not be compromised under any circumstances,’ Minister Reddy asserted.
Minister Reddy highlighted that the Almatti dam dispute has been a contentious issue, ongoing in the Supreme Court since 2017. He expressed full confidence in Telangana’s legal team, comprising experienced senior advocates, who are poised to deliver compelling arguments to effectively prevent any increase in the dam’s height.
Critiquing the previous BRS government, he alleged that they had unwisely conceded an unjust distribution of Krishna river water. According to his statements, out of a total of 811 TMC, Andhra Pradesh received a disproportionate 512 TMC, leaving Telangana with a mere 299 TMC. The current Congress government is actively challenging this allocation before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal.
Furthermore, Minister Reddy pointed out that Telangana is already grappling with the fallout from the ‘collapsed’ Kaleshwaram project, which he described as fundamentally flawed in its planning, execution, and subsequent maintenance. He pledged that legal action would be pursued against all individuals found responsible for these failures, regardless of their standing.
In unrelated but significant developments, the Minister also conducted a review of the Jawahar Janpahad Lift Irrigation Scheme, slated for completion by December 31, which is expected to bring irrigation to 10,000 acres. His itinerary included inspections of the Mahatma Gandhi Muktyala Branch Canal, set to irrigate 53,000 acres at the far end of the Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal, and the Rajiv Gandhi Lift Irrigation Scheme at Dondapadu, designed to leverage surplus water from the Pulichintala project to irrigate an additional 14,000 acres.