BRS to Storm CM's Home if Hyderabad Water Crisis Persists
BRS MLAs threaten protests at CM Revanth Reddy's residence as Hyderabad faces a severe drinking water crisis due to alleged mismanagement.
The political temperature in Telangana is rising as BRS legislators have issued a stern warning to the state government. BRS MLAs from Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts have declared that they, alongside aggrieved citizens, will stage a protest at the residence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy if immediate action is not taken to avert a looming Hyderabad drinking water crisis.
Visit to Kannepalli Pump House
A high-level delegation of BRS leaders, including MLAs Devireddy Sudheer Reddy, Madhavaram Krishna Rao, KP Vivekanand Goud, Marri Rajashekar Reddy, and Bandari Laxma Reddy, along with former minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao and former MLA Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, recently visited the Kannepalli pump house. This facility is a critical component of the Kaleshwaram project.
The leaders expressed shock at the sight of massive quantities of Godavari water flowing downstream and eventually into the sea, while the residents of Hyderabad struggle with dwindling supplies. They accused the Congress-led government of failing to operate the pumps at Kannepalli, which they claim is directly aggravating the city's water shortage.
The Cost of Negligence: 750 TMC Wasted?
The BRS delegation presented startling estimates, claiming that more than 750 TMC of Godavari water has flowed into the sea since June. According to the leaders, lifting even 250 TMC of this water could have significantly replenished reservoirs, boosted groundwater levels, and secured the city's drinking water needs.
Speaking at a press conference, MLA KP Vivekanand Goud recalled that BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) had visited the site back in July. KTR had allegedly warned the government about the potential impact of El Niño and the subsequent water crisis.
"Instead of addressing these concerns, Revanth Reddy threatened to give a belt treatment to the engineers who suggested lifting water. Now, it is the people who will give a belt treatment to Revanth," Goud remarked.
Goud further alleged that the Chief Minister only realized the gravity of the situation after nearly 800 TMC of water had been lost to the sea. He emphasized that just 10 TMC would be enough to sustain Hyderabad's drinking water requirements for an entire year.
Ground Reality: Low Pressure and Tanker Dependence
The crisis is already being felt on the streets. MLA Marri Rajashekar Reddy highlighted that residents in his constituency and other parts of the city are reporting irregular water supplies and critically low pressure. Many citizens claim they receive water only once every three days.
According to the BRS leaders, Water Board officials have indicated that the Singur and Manjeera reservoirs are drying up. They argue that the current drought-like situation is a direct result of the Congress government's negligence in ensuring adequate storage.
The severity of the shortage is further evidenced by the surge in private water tankers. MLA D. Sudheer Reddy noted that approximately 7,000 tanker bookings were made in October alone—a trend usually seen only during the peak of summer.
Allegations of Project Sabotage
The BRS leaders also raised concerns regarding the Medigadda barrage. D. Sudheer Reddy criticized the government for failing to act on reports of a suspected blast targeting the barrage's piers, noting that no repair work has been undertaken in three years.
Sudheer Reddy and former minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of deliberately undermining the Kaleshwaram project to justify "false propaganda," effectively betraying the state of Telangana while the city's water security hangs in the balance.