Latest news with #UttamReddy
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Uttam reviews State-wide water availability, wants optimal use for Kharif
HYDERABAD Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday reviewed the availability of water across all major reservoirs in the State and instructed the irrigation authorities to prepare a scientific and practical plan for optimal utilisation of water during the ongoing Kharif season (vana kalam). The plan must take into account current reservoir levels, expected monsoon inflows and the total ayacut that could be served effectively, he said and noted that the Irrigation and Agriculture Departments had worked in tandem during the previous Kharif and Yasangi seasons, leading to a record production of 281 lakh tonnes of paddy, and made the State the largest paddy-producer in the country. Reviewing the water resources in both the Krishna and Godavari Basins, he assessed the readiness of the department to meet the irrigation needs of farmers. He told the officials to maintain the same level of coordination with District Collectors and field staff as in last year to ensure optimal water use for the present crop season. The Minister stressed for a clear and coordinated water release strategy to be in place based on real-time data, crop patterns and the geography of ayacut. 'Our primary objective is to ensure that no farmer suffers due to lack of water. The entire department must work proactively with foresight and accountability', Mr. Uttam Reddy said. Reviewing the monsoon preparedness, the Minister told the officials to take precautions to be taken before and during the periods of heavy rainfall. He directed the officials to closely monitor dams, reservoirs, canals and allied structures and take preventive measures to avoid breaches, flooding or infrastructure damage. The Minister instructed the department to stay in regular contact with the Disaster Management Department and ensure strong inter-agency coordination for flood control. 'Public safety and the structural integrity of all irrigation assets is non-negotiable. Officials must remain alert and responsive at all times', he added. Remove encroachments The meeting addressed long-pending land encroachment issues of properties belonging to the Irrigation Department. The Minister directed the officials to identify and evict illegal occupants from irrigation lands and facilities across Telangana, including the premises of Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute (WALAMTARI), and Engineering Research Laboratory (ERL). He announced that a statewide drive would be launched soon to reclaim and secure all irrigation department properties.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
BRS ridicules Uttam's argument on operating Kalwakurthy lift, Kannepally PH
HYDERABAD The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has ridiculed the argument of Minister for Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who had stated that it was not possible to lift water from Medigadda Barrage damaged due to the sinking of piers, and observed that it is not the barrage that had sunk but it is the willingness of the ruling party. Speaking at a party meeting here on Monday, former minister for irrigation T. Harish Rao accused Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy of waiting for 'auspicious' time to switch on the motors of Kalwakurthy, when Andhra Pradesh had already started drawing water from Pothireddypadu Head Regulator as Srisailam reservoir was getting flood from the last week of May itself. He asked Mr. Uttam Reddy to prove that A.P. had not drawn 65 tmc ft allocated water share of Telangana during the last water year, as the State government had failed to avail its share of Krishna water for the first time since formation of the State. On switching on the motors of the Kannepally pump house linked to Medigadda, he said over one-lakh cusecs flood water was passing by the pump house and there was no need to stop/store water in the barrage to lift water from Kannepally. Separately, another former minister V. Prashanth Reddy said there was no link to the BRS demand for switching on motors of Kannepally pump house and sinking of some piers in Medigadda Barrage, as water could be lifted at Kannepally with minimum draw level of 93.5 meters flow in the river. It was flowing at about 96 meters level now. He stated that there was no need to store water in Medigadda to operate Kannepally and two other upstream pump houses. He said several reservoirs, minor irrigation tanks and check-dams could be filled with water with link I and II of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. On the claims of Mr. Uttam Reddy for achieving 283 lakh tonnes of paddy production last year, Mr. Prashanth Reddy sought to know whether it had become possible without constructing any new project or completing any pending project or de-silting any reservoir.
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Row over river waters deepens, State seeks opinion of MPs on A.P. proposal
The State government will seek inputs from all Members of Parliament (MPs) from Telangana before finalising its stance on the Godavari-Banakacherla project proposed by Andhra Pradesh. Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday announced that a meeting with MPs from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, cutting across party lines, will be held at his office at the Secretariat here on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will be the chief guest at the meeting, which will also be attended by Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Mr. Uttam Reddy said the State has urged the Centre to reject the pre-feasibility report of the Godavari-Banakacherla project, which is currently being reviewed by the Central Water Commission (CWC) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. A presentation on the project is expected during the meeting, following which suggestions and feedback from the MPs will be invited. Meanwhile, BRS senior leader and former Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao has urged Mr. Uttam Reddy to press Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil to immediately convene an Apex Council meeting to address what he called a violation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Mr. Uttam Reddy rejected Mr. Rao's claim that Telangana would gain 112.5 tmc ft of Krishna water if 80 tmc ft is diverted to the Krishna Delta through the Polavaram project. He called the suggestion 'absolutely wrong' and said it would severely harm Telangana's water rights and interests. He also urged Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to reject Andhra Pradesh's request for Terms of Reference for the modified Polavaram Irrigation Project. He accused the A.P. government of repeatedly violating environmental clearances and tribunal allocations, warning that such actions are not only detrimental to riparian principles but also legally untenable. In a letter sent on Monday, Mr. Uttam Reddy alleged that A.P. has made massive and unauthorised alterations to components of the PIP in both the Krishna and Godavari basins. He said these changes exceed the scope permitted under the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal Award and the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Telangana objects to Centre asking A.P. to submit DPR of Banakacherla project by month-end
HYDERABAD The Telangana government has strongly opposed the Centre's move asking the Andhra Pradesh government to submit the detailed project report (DPR) of the Polavaram-Banakacherla Link project proposed by the latter, despite it contravening the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act (APRA) and the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT). In a letter addressed to Jal Shakti Minister (MoJS) C.R. Patil on the issue on June 13, Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Centre's move would adversely impact the riparian rights of Telangana within the basin as the A.P. was planning to divert 200 tmc ft Godavari water to the non-basin areas of Krishna and Penna. In a response to a letter addressed to Mr. Patil and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama on January 22 on the Banakacherla project, the MoJS had replied on May 28, which he (Uttam) received in the first week of June, stating that A.P. did not send any DPR to the Central Water Commission (CWC). Accordingly, a meeting was convened here on June 12 on the project and later postponed to discuss it as part of the interlinking of rivers project in New Delhi. Recently, the CWC had stated that it had received a pre-feasibility report on the project, Mr. Uttam Reddy said. The Minister told The Hindu on Saturday that a meeting was held by MoJS on June 2 and was attended by A.P. officials. When enquired by the Telangana officials, the CWC officials informed that the pre-feasibility report (PFR) of A.P. was under active consideration. In the same meeting, a Ministry of Finance official had asked the A.P. officials to submit the DPR by June-end. 'Usually, the DPR of any project/scheme by any State could be submitted to the CWC only when the underlying PFR is initially approved by the agency (CWC). Does the Centre asking A.P. to submit the DPR mean that the PFR of the project is deemed to have been approved by the CWC? We strongly object to the Centre asking A.P. to submit the DPR of the Banakacherla project,' Mr. Uttam Reddy said. He made it clear that the proposed project had no assured water allocation by the GWDT. 'It's a matter of grave concern to Telangana as the MoJS has asked A.P .to submit the DPR of Banakacherla project by June-end, and it technically implies that the PFR of the project is deemed to have been approved,' the Irrigation Minister of Telangana said. Mr. Uttam Reddy requested Mr. Patil to direct the CWC to reject the PFR of the Banakacherla project, presently under review by the CWC and also prevent A.P. from taking up any further action, including calling for and awarding tenders.
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
BRS ridicules Irrigation Minister's repeated attempt to malign Kaleshwaram project with lies
HYDERABAD Senior leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and former Minister for Irrigation T. Harish Rao has ridiculed Minister for Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar Reddy for his 'repeated attempts to spread misinformation on Kaleshwaram Project with the belief that people will believe a lie as a fact if told repeatedly'. In a statement, Mr. Harish Rao alleged on Saturday that spreading lies and misinformation on the Kalaeshwaram Project had become the single-point agenda for Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy, as also Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. He questioned the rationale of Mr. Uttam Reddy terming the project as a 'white elephant' while making use of several pump houses and reservoirs constructed as part of the project. Along with documents Mr. Rao reiterated that the Central Water Commission had written to the State government on February 18, 2015 and March 4, 2015 on the non-availability of 160 tmc ft of water planned to be used for the earlier Pranahita-Chevella project at the proposed Tummidihatti Barrage site. Besides, then Maharashtra Chief Minister had written to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart on their opposition to the barrage at Tummidihatti. The Congress government had never attempted to work out an agreement with Maharashtra by convincing the latter for the barrage, though the same party was in power in A.P., Maharashtra and at the Centre from 2007 to 2014. It was the Congress government that had given ₹2,328 crore mobilisation advance to contractors even before taking up the project work. The estimated cost of Pranahita-Chevella started with ₹17,875 crore initially was first revised to ₹38,500 crore in less than two years, and later to ₹40,300 crore. He stated that the Congress government had spent only ₹3,780 crore on Pranahita-Chevella works, including land acquisition against the claims of Mr. Uttam Reddy that ₹10,000 crore was spent. Mr. Harish Rao sought to know why the Congress government had not constructed Tummidihatti Barrage and a gravity canal from Tummidihatti to Yellampally reservoir from 2007 to 2014. He stated that water storage capacity was increased to 141 tmc ft in Kaleshwaram from 16 tmc ft in Pranahita-Chevella. The Kaleshwaram project had created a new ayacut of 3,04,766 acres, including 98,570 acres directly, 39,146 acres by filling 456 minor irrigation tanks with Kaleshwaram canals and another 1,67,050 acres by filling 2,143 minor irrigation tanks with Kaleshwaram water under SRSP Stage-I and Stage-II. 17,08,230 acres of ayacut was stabilised under SRSP Stage-I (Lower Manair Dam), Stage-II and Nizamsagar project and another 20,576 acres under 66 checkdams by diverting Kaleshwaram water to Kudellivagu and Haldivagu.
