Chiru demands YSR to clarify on his project stand

The Praja Rajyam president and Tirupati MLA, Mr K. Chiranjeevi, on Tuesday asked the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, whether the state government was sincere in trying to prevent the construction of illegal irrigation projects by the Karnataka and Maharashtra governments over the Krishna and Godavari rivers. Addressing the protest organised by his party against the construction of the Babli project by the Maharashtra government on the Godavari here, Mr Chiranjeevi asked why state government failed to prevent upper riparian states from obstructing the flow of water with unauthorised constructions on the Godavari and Krishna rivers. He questioned the need for Jalayagnam when where was no water. The PR chief said that the Sriramsagar project (SRSP) which benefited Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal and Medak districts of Telangana was likely to go barren after the Babli project was constructed. He lambasted the state government for failing to protect the interests of the state even though it had 33 ruling party MPs. The Praja Rajyam leader said that the lower Manair dam which has a capacity of 24 tmc feet had reached dead storage level and a drinking water crisis loomed over several municipal towns and villagers in the district. He said that the Praja Rajyam would continue its protest till the works were stopped. -DC

Tuesday, August 11, 2009