KARIMNAGAR: Former Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar on Saturday questioned why did the Bharat Rashtra Samithi government complete the construction of the 10th, 11th and 12th package works under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) project without completing the ninth package work.
He said IT minister K. T. Rama Rao in 2021 had announced that the ninth package work will be completed in two years, but the work was not over, and that it was abandoned midway.
Prabhakar made the comments as he, along with district Congress committee president Adi Srinivas and Sircilla assembly segment in-charge K. Mahendar Reddy, inspected the Upper Manair Dam (UMD) project work at Narmala village, Gambhiraopet mandal, Rajanna Sircilla district.
The 10th package work is Mallanna Sagar reservoir, the 11th package is Kondapochamma reservoir and the 12th is Ranganayaka Sagar. The ninth package work is the UMD project.
Prabhakar alleged Rama Rao was deceiving the people of the district by boasting on several occasions during his visit to Sircilla that enormous development had taken place in Rajanna Sircilla district, but the ground reality is different.
There are several problems that the people of Sircilla constituency are still facing like unemployment, farmer’s issues, improper implementation of welfare schemes, and no distribution of double-bedroom houses, he said.
When Congress leaders questioned Rama Rao as to why the UMD project work was not taken up, the minister retorted by questioning the Congress leaders on what they had done in 50 years, Prabhakar said.
The BRS government is digging out old cases and filing them against Congress leaders, just because Congress leaders questioned the government on the UMD project, Prabhakar alleged.
What is the use of completing the construction works of Malakpet reservoir when the construction of small canals and channels were not completed for supplying water for irrigation to the villages downstream, he questioned.
Problems like lack of jobs, funds, water for drinking and irrigation were there in United Andhra Pradesh and are still persisting after bifurcation, Prabhakar said, adding that by completing the construction of UMD, Rama Rao must keep the promises made to the people of Rajanna Sircilla district.
