BRS MLAs warn to seize Telangana CM's residence if Hyderabad drinking water crisis not solved

Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs demanded that the Congress government immediately pump Godavari water from the Kannepalli pump house near Kaleshwaram to prevent a drinking water crisis in Hyderabad.

The BRS MLAs and leaders warned that if the government failed to take immediate action, they would lay siege to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s residence along with Hyderabad residents.

A delegation of BRS leaders, including MLAs D. Sudheer Reddy, Madhavaram Krishna Rao, K.P. Vivekananda Goud, Marri Rajasekhar Reddy and Bandari Lakshma Reddy, former minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao and former MLA Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, visited the Kannepalli Pump House and criticised the government for allegedly failing to utilise Godavari water for Hyderabad's drinking water needs.

The leaders claimed that more than 750 TMC of Godavari water had flowed into the sea since June. They said that if at least 250 TMC of water had been pumped, storage levels in reservoirs and lakes would have increased, groundwater levels would have improved, and Hyderabad’s drinking water could have been used.

Addressing a press conference at the Kannepalli Pump House, MLA K.P. Vivekananda Goud recalled that BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) had visited the Meddigadda barrage in July and brought to the government's attention the issue of Godavari water flowing into the sea without being utilised.

“KTR had also warned about El Niño weather impact and water shortages. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister had threatened to give belt treatment to engineers who have suggested pumping water,” he said.

The Quthbullapur MLA warned that people would give a fitting response to the Chief Minister if the government continued to neglect their drinking water problems.

He claimed that around 10 TMC of water would be sufficient to meet Hyderabad's drinking water needs for a year and demanded that the government immediately begin pumping water from Kannepalli.

Malkajgiri MLA Marri Rajasekhar Reddy said residents in his constituency and several other areas of Hyderabad were facing difficulties due to inadequate water supply.

“Our constituency people were complaining that even when water was supplied once every three days, it was delivered at low pressure. The Hyderabad officials had reported declining water levels in the Singur and Manjira reservoirs,” Reddy said.

He alleged that the Congress government's negligence was leading to drought-like conditions in the state.

LB Nagar MLA D. Sudheer Reddy criticised the government for allegedly failing to act on a complaint regarding the explosion targeting the pillars of the Medigadda Barrage.

He also alleged that the government had failed to undertake repair works and accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of damaging Telangana's interests by spreading false propaganda against the Kaleshwaram project.

Sudheer Reddy claimed that demand for water tankers had increased significantly in Hyderabad, with approximately 7,000 tanker bookings being recorded daily in October.

He said the situation resembled the summer season and reflected the severity of the water shortage in the city.

Former minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao alleged that the government failed to take action despite having an opportunity to resolve the water crisis.

He recalled that former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) had ensured the uninterrupted supply of essential services, including water and electricity, even during the COVID pandemic.