Revanth escalates Tummidihatti issue, seeks PM’s intervention

Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the long-pending Tummidihatti barrage issue. He said if the Centre could facilitate the transfer of seven mandals from Telangana to Andhra Pradesh for the Polavaram project, it should also assist Telangana in securing around 2,000 acres of land in Maharashtra required for a proposed irrigation project.Addressing a public meeting in Asifabad district, Revanth Reddy said the proposed Tummidihatti barrage would provide irrigation to about 2.5 lakh acres in Adilabad district through gravity flow and also benefit parts of Medak, Karimnagar, and Nizamabad districts.He referred to the 2014 transfer of seven mandals from the erstwhile Khammam district to Andhra Pradesh for the Polavaram multipurpose irrigation project, arguing that a similar approach should be adopted in this case."We are ready to pay any amount for this land because our priority is farmers," he said, adding that he had written several letters to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis requesting talks at the CM level. However, he alleged Fadnavis was not giving time for the meeting.He warned that delays in resolving the issue could lead to growing dissatisfaction among farmers in the Adilabad region. "It will become a problem for Maharashtra if the people of Adilabad, especially farmers, rise against the negligence of the Fadnavis govt," he said.Revanth also said that the Congress govt had revived the Tummidihatti project after irrigation benefits failed to reach Adilabad under the Kaleshwaram project due to technical issues at the Medigadda, Sundilla, and Annaram barrages.Targeting Union minister G Kishan Reddy, the CM said the BJP leader should play an active role in facilitating talks between Telangana and Maharashtra. "While we are writing letters to the Maharashtra CM, Kishan Reddy is doing nothing. He should act as an emissary and help arrange discussions. Otherwise, it will become difficult for him to move around in Telangana," he said.He added that he was willing to personally meet Kishan Reddy if necessary to push the matter forward.Revanth Reddy said his govt prefers dialogue over confrontation but warned that Telangana would be compelled to take a stronger stand if the issue continues to remain unresolved. "For me, the four crore people of the state, especially farmers, are the priority," he said.