HYDERABADDeputy Floor Leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the Assembly, T. Harish Rao, has questioned the silence of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, alleging that the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh was taking away Krishna water from Srisailam from its dead storage level, leaving Telangana dry.“There is not even a word of opposition, though A.P. has been taking away Krishna water through twin tunnels of Veligonda project to Nallamalasagar to irrigate lands outside the basin, while the basin areas in Telangana are left to languish in drought conditions,” he said in a statement on Monday.He stated that Veligonda project was designed to utilise 43.5 tmc ft water to irrigate nearly 4.5 lakh acres ayacut in Rayalaseema and south coastal Andhra regions of A.P., by drawing water by gravity through twin tunnels running for nearly 19 km each.While the ayacut under in-basin projects such as Bhima, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu and Koilsagar lift irrigation schemes in Telangana was dry, A.P. was diverting nearly 11 tmc ft water from Srisailam in the first phase of Veligonda in violation of the tribunal awards and river board approval, Mr. Harish Rao alleged. Even the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) was remaining a mute spectator, he alleged.Accusing the Congress government of helping A.P. draw water by neglecting the completion of Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, Mr. Rao said people of Telangana were expecting that at least Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy would respond and intervene the matter.He stated that diversion of Krishna water by A.P. illegally commenced with the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator, and the lifts at Malyala and Muchumarri to draw water for Handri-Neeva and K.C. Canal were added later. A.P. was already diverting water from Nagarjunasagar Right Canal, and now it was planning to empty Srisailam with Veligonda, he alleged. Published - August 31, 2026 07:53 pm IST