Harish Rao Joins Siddipet Farmers’ March, Demands Immediate Restart of Kaleshwaram Pumps

Former Telangana minister and BRS MLA T. Harish Rao participated in a large-scale farmers’ foot march in Chinnakodur mandal of Siddipet district on Sunday, backing cultivators’ demand for the restoration of irrigation water supply to key reservoirs in the region.

Addressing a gathering after the march, Harish Rao emphasized that the programme was not organized by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) but was a voluntary initiative taken by local farmers. He said cultivators from Chinnakodur had invited him to support their efforts to bring irrigation-related concerns to the attention of the state government.

According to him, the presence of the Ananthagiri and Ranganayaka Sagar reservoirs within the mandal makes irrigation a critical issue for local agriculture. Farmers are seeking immediate steps from the government to ensure adequate water storage in Ranganayaka Sagar and safeguard crops during the current agricultural season.

Harish Rao said thousands of farmers participated in the 15-kilometre padayatra , which was conducted from morning until afternoon. He noted that the march was intended to pressure the state government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy , to address what farmers describe as a worsening irrigation crisis.

The BRS leader alleged that the present situation was not the result of a natural drought but stemmed from administrative inaction. He claimed that during the previous government’s tenure, the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project ensured sufficient water supply to Ranganayaka Sagar, but reservoir levels have now declined because the project’s pumps have not been operated.

Harish Rao further argued that lifting nearly 70 TMC of water through the Kaleshwaram system could have helped fill Ranganayaka Sagar. He urged the government to immediately restart the pumps and release water to Ranganayaka Sagar, Mallanna Sagar and Kondapochamma Sagar reservoirs.

Warning of growing discontent among cultivators, he said farmers across Telangana could intensify their protests if irrigation concerns continue to be ignored by the government.