YSRCP demands restart of Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation project works

A delegation of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders from Kurnool and Nandyal district on Tuesday visited the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation project and demanded the State government to restart the stalled works without any delay.

The visit comes in the wake of Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s remarks in his State Assembly that he had convinced his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu to stop works on Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation project.

A delegation of senior leaders, including Nandyal district president Katasani Rambhupal Reddy, Kurnool district president S.V. Mohan Reddy, former minister Sake Sailajanath, and others inspected the project site at Jupadu Bungala mandal.

Speaking to media later, they said it was Mr. Naidu’s responsibility to secure environmental clearances and alleged that the works were stalled deliberately to deny credit to their president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

They demanded that Mr. Naidu immediately clarify Mr. Revanth Reddy’s remarks and on the understandings reached following the meetings with the Telangana government. They claimed that nearly 85 per cent of the project was completed during the YSRCP government’s tenure, but not a single step had been taken since TDP-led coalition government’s 19-month rule.

They alleged that the repeated excuse of ‘lack of environmental clearances’ had now been exposed as false, and Revanth Reddy’s remarks had laid bare a conspiracy to halt the project only because it would bring goodwill to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

YSRCP leaders recalled that the project was launched to permanently address drought in Rayalaseema by lifting floodwater. They alleged that Mr. Naidu got cases filed through Telangana leaders in the National Green Tribunal to obstruct the project, and had even compromised Rayalaseema’s interests to protect himself in political and legal matters.

“If the works are not restarted immediately, the YSRCP will launch a mass movement along with farmers, farmer unions, and irrigation experts,” they said.