Kakani, Somireddy trade charges over irrigation water shortage in Sarvepalli constituency

YSR Congress Party’s Nellore district president Kakani Govardhan Reddy and Sarvepalli MLA Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, both former Agriculture Ministers, traded charges over irrigation shortages in Sarvepalli Assembly constituency in Nellore district.

The exchange comes despite substantial storage in the Somasila and Kandaleru reservoirs. While Somasila currently has about 68 TMC of water and Kandaleru around 52 TMC, considered sufficient to irrigate ayacut areas and protect standing crops, several upland villages are reportedly facing water shortages due to operational and maintenance issues.

Mr. Govardhan Reddy blamed silt-clogged canals for the situation and alleged that funds meant for desilting works had been diverted. On Sunday, he visited water bodies in Kagithalapuru village of Manubolu mandal along with local farmers. Later speaking to the media, he accused the TDP government of opting for lift irrigation works instead of ensuring gravity flow through proper canal maintenance.

Dismissing the allegations, Mr. Chandramohan Reddy described them as politically motivated and attributed them to what he termed as heartburn within the YSRCP over the government’s swift response to the issue. A former Minister who failed to ensure adequate irrigation in the past was now shedding crocodile tears, he remarked, asserting that not a single acre in the constituency would be allowed to go barren.