BRS leader T. Harish Rao accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of compromising Telangana’s water rights and demanded details of the recent meeting with the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, alleging the State’s interests were being ignored in Krishna and Godavari river projects.
Updated On – 27 June 2026, 04:46 PM
Hyderabad: Accusing Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of compromising Telangana’s legitimate rights over Krishna and Godavari waters for political interests, former Minister T Harish Rao demanded that the Congress government disclose the details of the meeting of the Chief Ministers of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on Tungabhadra water sharing.
The BRS Deputy Floor Leader said the Chief Minister’s lack of understanding of river water issues had become a serious threat to Telangana’s future.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Harish Rao said the previous BRS government had fought relentlessly and secured approvals for major irrigation projects. In contrast, he alleged, the Congress government was surrendering Telangana’s interests before the Centre and neighbouring States.
He questioned the celebrations over the replacement of gates at the Tungabhadra Dam. Telangana’s real concern, he said, was securing its rightful share of river waters and not symbolic events.
Harish Rao said Karnataka was moving ahead with the proposed 35 TMC Naveli Reservoir upstream of the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS), while Andhra Pradesh was planning the 20 TMC Gundrevula Project downstream of the RDS. He said the two projects would enable the neighbouring States to impound nearly 55 TMC of water. This, he claimed, would severely affect inflows into the Srisailam Reservoir and jeopardise irrigation projects dependent on it, including the Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme and the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project.
“Despite these serious developments, the Telangana government failed to oppose either project or safeguard the State’s interests,” Harish Rao alleged.
He questioned whether the Chief Minister had secured any concrete assurance on Telangana’s rightful allocation of 15.90 TMC under the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, the permanent closure of unauthorised Andhra Pradesh outlets on the RDS, or repairs to the RDS canal system and dam. “Revanth Reddy should disclose what transpired during the closed-door meeting attended only by the Chief Ministers of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, along with a senior union Water Resources official,” Harish Rao demanded. He also questioned why Telangana Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior irrigation officials were reportedly kept out of the meeting.
The BRS leader alleged that Karnataka had already begun constructing three unauthorised barrages on the Tungabhadra River without statutory approvals.
