Pothireddypadu, Aug 24: YSRCP Rayalaseema leaders accused the Chandrababu Naidu government of releasing Srisailam water downstream in the name of power generation while denying water to Rayalaseema through Pothireddypadu. They demanded immediate steps to maintain the required Srisailam water level and fill the reservoirs in Rayalaseema.
Nandyal District YSRCP President Katasani Rambhupal Reddy and former Minister Sake Sailajanath spoke to the media after police stopped YSRCP leaders from visiting the Pothireddypadu regulator. Police erected barricades, deployed heavy security and locked the regulator gate, saying the leaders had no permission to visit the site.
Katasani said water was being unnecessarily released downstream from Srisailam in the name of power generation. He said farmers should understand that the Srisailam water level needs to be around 841 feet for water to flow towards Rayalaseema through Pothireddypadu.
He recalled that former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy had issued orders to ensure that Srisailam water levels were maintained until March and April to protect Rayalaseema’s water interests. He said the present government was failing to provide similar protection to the region.
Katasani also questioned why the government remained silent when Telangana was drawing water through lift schemes without necessary permissions. He called upon Rayalaseema farmers to unite and fight for their rightful share of water, warning that future generations could face severe water shortages if the region’s interests were not protected now.
Sailajanath accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of deliberately keeping Rayalaseema reservoirs such as Gorakallu, Owk and Velugodu dry despite water being available in Srisailam. He said even a visit by opposition leaders to inspect Pothireddypadu was being prevented using the police.
He questioned whether Chandrababu Naidu had entered into any secret understanding with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to prevent water from reaching Pothireddypadu. He also accused the government of denying irrigation water as part of an attempt to make farmers give up their lands cheaply for industrial projects.
The YSRCP leaders said preventing them from visiting Pothireddypadu while they were raising the constitutional and legitimate water rights of Rayalaseema farmers reflected the government’s undemocratic attitude. They alleged that the irrigation and revenue systems had been weakened and that the government was increasingly relying on police restrictions to silence opposition voices.
They demanded that the government immediately stop allowing Srisailam levels to fall unnecessarily and ensure that Rayalaseema projects are filled with water.
The leaders asserted that YSRCP would continue its democratic struggle alongside Rayalaseema farmers until the region receives its rightful share of water. They warned that the coalition government would have to answer to the people for denying water to Rayalaseema and suppressing those questioning its policies.
*DSC was managed, not merit-based: MLCs*
