Former Alampur MLA and AICC secretary Sampath Kumar led a rally and dharna protesting against the construction of a canal on the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) by the Andhra Pradesh government that would deprive Jogulamba Gadwal district of its share of water for irrigation.
Accompanied by hundreds of Congress activists and vehicles, Mr. Sampath Kumar went to visit the construction site for a protest. However, they were stopped by the Karnataka police while crossing Telangana and entering into AP through Karnataka. Police said they could not move in such massive numbers due to COVID-19 guidelines and also imposition of Section 144 in Raichur district.
However, Congress activists picked up an argument with the police saying they had to go to the construction site in Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Sampath Kumar, however, was allowed to submit a memorandum to Raichur Tahsildar, Hampanna.
Mr. Sampath said the Raichur district Collector has assured to write a letter to the Kurnool Collector on the issue citing how Telangana farmers’ protests were creating problems for people of Karnataka and solve the issue at the earliest.
Mr. Sampath Kumar said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was silent for an year though the AP government had issued GO 276 and 277 last year for constructing a canal of 160 km., diverting 15.9 TMC of Telangana share to Andhra Pradesh.
Canal is being dug 10-feet deep for taking water through gravity -- and further ahead three reservoirs and three lifts were constructed, he said.
The canal work is almost complete and 87,500 acres of Gadwal-Jogulamba district would be deprived of irrigation water once the RDS right canal is completed. Alampur Assembly segment in the district would be the worst-hit. The AICC secretary alleged that Mr. Rao is silent all these days as he is hand in glove with AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy given their political and financial interests. “I raised the issue last year itself but the government was conspicuous by its silence,” he said adding that not even a single representation was given to Union Jal Shakthi Minister or the KRMB to stop the illegal canal work.
Mr. Sampath Kumar also lambasted Excise and Prohibition Minister K Srinivas Goud and Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy for keeping silence on the project at the cost of drought-hit district.
