Godavari-Krishna Link Is Key To Ending Nalgonda’s Water And Fluoride Problems: Kavitha

Telangana Rakshana Sena president Kalvakuntla Kavitha has said that linking the Godavari and Krishna rivers is essential to permanently resolve Nalgonda district’s water scarcity and fluoride contamination. She proposed diverting additional water from the Kaleshwaram project through the Baswapur reservoir to the Dindi lift irrigation project, arguing that sourcing water from Yedula would be difficult.

During her visit to the Dindi reservoir in Devarakonda constituency on Saturday, Kavitha presented alternative proposals for supplying water to the project and criticised successive governments for neglecting irrigation infrastructure.

She questioned the feasibility of bringing water from Yedula, pointing out that even lifting two TMCs from Srisailam for the Palamuru-Rangareddy project remained challenging. She alleged that changes to the Ellur pump house design and blasting activities had affected the Kalwakurthy pump house. She also cautioned that further excavation to lift an additional 0.6 TMC could endanger both Kalwakurthy and Palamuru pump houses.

Kavitha suggested completing the Baswapur reservoir, which is 80 per cent complete, and bringing Godavari water from Mallannasagar through it. She said the approximately 110-km stretch from Baswapur to Ulpara offered a possible route to Dindi. Alternative routes through Shivanagudem, Kondapochampally and Shameerpet could also be explored.

Criticising delays in the SLBC tunnel project, she blamed both the previous BRS and the present Congress governments for failing to complete the work. Expressing regret over the deaths of eight people, she apologised to Nalgonda residents for her party's role in the previous government. Completing SLBC, she said, could provide irrigation to another 3.5 lakh acres.

She urged the government to complete pending projects, restore the Kannepalli pump house at Medigadda and clarify its position on Thummidihatti. She also proposed linking the Godavari and Cauvery rivers at Tupakulagudem, pointing out that around 3,500 TMCs of Godavari water flowed into the sea annually.

Warning of worsening drought conditions, Kavitha demanded compensation of Rs.25,000 per acre for farmers advised against sowing crops. She accused the government of failing to provide irrigation water and urea.

Calling the BRS a non-performing asset, she criticised both the ruling Congress and opposition parties for failing to address public concerns. She said her party would prioritise unfinished irrigation projects and permanently resolve Nalgonda's fluoride problem if voted to power. She also appealed to voters to support her party's candidates in the graduate MLC elections.