Harish Rao cites NDSA affidavit, CWPRS report to lift Kaleshwaram water

Former Telangana Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao stated on August 25, 2026, that an affidavit from the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and a report from the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) are evidence of the Congress government's misinformation regarding the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS). Rao contended that the NDSA's affidavit supported lifting water from Kaleshwaram based on necessity, and the CWPRS report found no structural issues at Annaram and Sundilla barrages of KLIS.

He accused the Congress government of labeling the project as a disaster and a waste of water due to political vendetta rather than its inefficacy. Rao asserted that allowing floodwaters from Godavari to flow downstream was an act of criminal negligence by the Revanth Reddy government, causing significant harm to farming communities.

Prior to the BRS' inquiries, the government only began operating pumps from Devadula projects and Kaleshwaram's Nandi and Gayatri pump houses, which proved too late to meet water demands. Consequently, Telangana's water storage across all bodies was merely at 35.6%, far below the national average of 64.16%, indicating an impending crisis.

This situation was not a result of natural disasters but due to inadequate water management by the Congress government. Rao urged the government to commence water extraction from Annaram and Sundilla barrages and to halt the spread of misinformation regarding the Kaleshwaram project.