The mammoth Kaleshwaram project that is hailed all over the world has become a chapter in the new history of the young Telangana state. However, a section of the media and leaders of various political parties are unable to stomach the achievements of the ruling BRS party and the acumen of Chief Minister Mr K Chandrashekhar Rao. They are keeping on doubting the efficacy of the huge project with unscientific and unreasonable logic of their own.
There were times in united Andhra Pradesh when one could see the endless stretches of barren land, abandoned agriculture fields, gloomy, disconsolate and hopeless everywhere in the then Telangana region of the state. The desperation and injustices done to the region prompted the separate Telangana movement. Under the able leadership of K Chandrashekhar Rao, the aspiration was fulfilled after six decades of pain.
Immediately, he turned the tables wishing to wet every inch of the land, bring glory to farming, and kindle the hopes of beleaguered farmers. From his mental agony, the huge Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project was born. Taking revolutionary decisions without minding funds, he could ensure the execution of the project in record time.
How awful it is to say that such a project of great proportion does not serve any purpose? Are these leaders or the media blind to the reservoirs, tanks and canals brimming with water even during the peak summer days? Did it not rejuvenate the defunct SRSP or result in an increased area of cultivation in the state? It is not true that agriculture production increased manifold and resulted in increased GSDP?
It is very ironic that some leaders like Rahul Gandhi accused the BRS government of amassing over one lakh crore rupees in the Kaleshwaram project. The BRS government has been saying time and time again that it cost about Rs. 80,000 crore. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao recently stated that the funds borrowed for the projects were already repaid.
The much acclaimed multi-purpose Kaleshwaram project covering 13 districts of the state envisages utilisation of 240T MC of water and caters to the needs of irrigation, industrial and drinking water purposes. The list of facts is endless. With their limited resources and biased nature, a section of media and opposition leaders could talk sense of the project. It is also the time to come out and traverse through the rural parts that turned to lush green from barren and see the farmers whose faces are writ large with smiles.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao