BRS senior leader and former MP B. Vinod Kumar on Wednesday accused the Telangana government of using the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) for political purposes and urged it to focus on safeguarding the State’s water security.Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, Mr. Vinod Kumar said the NDSA was only an advisory body and not a regulatory authority, arguing that implementation of its recommendations was not mandatory. He claimed the report, submitted 16 months ago, had stated that ownership of the project rested with the State government.Questioning the BJP-led Centre’s approach, he alleged that the BJP and the Congress had ‘colluded’ in preparing the NDSA report.He also pointed out that water is a State subject and claimed the authority lacked adequate manpower, stating that only its Chairman had been appointed while other members were yet to be named.Drawing a comparison with the Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Vinod Kumar said the Centre had sanctioned nearly ₹10,000 crore for repair works despite the project’s reported damage, and questioned why a similar approach had not been adopted in Telangana.Warning of the possible impact of El Nino, he said Hyderabad could face a severe water shortage if rainfall remained deficient. He alleged that the government had ignored repeated appeals to lift water from Kannepalli pumphouse and claimed that the opportunity had now been lost due to inadequate water availability.He said the government should stop portraying the NDSA report as a ‘bogey’ and instead ensure that water is lifted through the Kaleshwaram system whenever it is available. Published - July 15, 2026 06:57 pm IST