The Telangana BJP unit, led by president N. Ramchander Rao, declared on Tuesday its unwavering opposition to any plans to increase the height of the Almatti Dam. Rao specifically questioned the silence of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy regarding reports that the Karnataka government intends to raise the dam’s height from 519 meters to 524 meters. He stressed that such a move would severely harm farmers across Telangana.
Rao issued a stark warning: “Mahabubnagar, which is the Chief Minister’s home district, along with Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy, face the dire prospect of acute water shortages, potentially transforming into desert-like conditions, if Karnataka proceeds with these plans.”
He further criticized the ruling Congress government in Telangana for its alleged failure to proactively protect the state’s legitimate share of Krishna river water. Rao called for immediate diplomatic engagement with Karnataka to prevent any detrimental impact on Telangana’s agricultural sector.
“This government, unfortunately, appears more preoccupied with securing contracts and commissions rather than safeguarding Telangana’s rightful claim to Krishna river water,” Rao asserted. He accused the Congress of “compromising the state’s vital interests” by remaining passive on the Almatti Dam controversy.
Adding to his criticisms, Mr. Rao highlighted the Chief Minister’s frequent trips to Delhi for meetings with central Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Rahul Gandhi. He questioned why, despite these interactions and the fact that both Telangana and Karnataka are governed by the Congress, the issue of the Almatti Dam’s height increase has seemingly never been brought up with the party’s central command.
Rao also brought to light that, despite a Supreme Court order prohibiting any construction that would raise the dam’s height, the Karnataka government is reportedly moving forward with land acquisition in areas surrounding the dam. This, he argued, clearly signals Karnataka’s intention to expand the Almatti reservoir’s storage capacity.
Finally, he extended his criticism to the previous BRS government, accusing them of having previously accepted a mere 299 TMC of Krishna water, which he claimed significantly jeopardized Telangana’s long-term water interests. He concluded by stating, “The BRS now lacks any moral authority to speak on this issue, and it appears the current Congress government is unfortunately treading the very same path.”