Why is KCR inaugurating half-finished lift scheme?

[Anta Assamey]

The much-hyped Palamuru Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme at Kollapur in Nagarkurnool district has been completed not even up to 50 percent.

Except one reservoir at Narlapur village, the four other reservoirs were not completed even up to 30 percent and the canal system is yet to be developed.

Yet, Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to dedicate the half-completed irrigation project to the nation on September 16 by just switching on a motor of one pump for a wet run of the project, but not to provide water to irrigate crops under the project ayacut.

Yet, the entire exercise is being given a lot of hype and hungama, though there is no water in Krishna river at all. His government is going to issue full-page advertisements in the newspapers, conduct special prayers at all temples and get massive publicity.

Well, one can understand his intentions. He wants to tell the people that he has constructed yet another gigantic project on the lines of Kaleshwaram for getting political mileage in southern parts of Telangana where the BRS is on a weak footing.

Especially in Kollapur, Mahabubnagar and Wanaparthy districts, the BRS is on a weak footing and the Congress is likely to bag many seats there. So, KCR wants to neutralise the Congress impact by launching the half-finished project.

But the question is why KCR has chosen to launch the project on September 16, as he could have done it on any other date after completing some more work on the project.

The reason is obvious. The Congress party is holding the prestigious meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on the same day and naturally, the entire focus of the media – both local and national – would be on the same.

So, KCR doesn’t want it to happen and wants to steal the thunder from the CWC meeting by putting up a big show at Narlapur intake well in Kollapur mandal in Nagarkunrool district, followed by a major public meeting.

He wants to divert the attention of the people from the CWC meeting which would be attended by top leaders like Sonia Gandhi, other senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka, and others.

[hyperbole]

It is a wet run to test the motors and not an inauguration. Simultaneously they will be partially filling the narlapur reservoir to test it