*Rayalaseema lift irrigation must resume immediately*

Kadapa, March 1: YSRCP State Coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had mortgaged the interests of Andhra Pradesh, especially the farmers of Rayalaseema, to neighbouring states. He was speaking to the media after attending a meeting of YSRCP leaders from Rayalaseema, Nellore and Prakasam districts in Kadapa to discuss the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme.

He said the meeting approved a future action plan to achieve completion of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme. He demanded that the works be resumed immediately and completed at the earliest. He alleged that the project, which was 90 percent completed during the tenure of former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was deliberately stalled by the present government.
Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said the state government had failed to oppose Karnataka’s move to increase the height of the Almatti dam and had also ignored the impact of the Upper Bhadra project on Anantapur district. He said the government had not even raised objections or written letters to protect state interests.
He further stated that the Polavaram project height was reduced from 45.72 metres to 41 metres, turning it into a barrage instead of a full-fledged irrigation project. He said this decision would severely affect irrigation benefits across regions.
He called upon people to question coalition leaders at every level and said YSRCP would launch a public movement to safeguard irrigation projects and farmers’ rights. He added that the party would involve intellectuals, youth and all sections of society in the struggle until the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation works were restarted.