BRS Leader KTR Criticises State Government Over Musi Project and Drought

Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president K.T. Rama Rao has accused the State Government of stopping public voices during the hearing for the Musi Riverfront Development project. Speaking on Thursday, he said the government is staging dramas about beautification while citizens face severe drought.

Project Criticisms

Mr. Rama Rao alleged that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has uncovered a one lakh crore rupee scam through these public hearings during a time of widespread distress. He questioned the plan to bring ten tmc ft of water from Mallannasagar to the Musi river when villages and towns are facing drinking water shortages. He also asked why Telangana declared a crop holiday while neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka did not face similar measures despite comparable conditions.

Government Tactics

He further claimed the government is treating the public hearing as a mere formality while blocking people from attending. According to him, district administrations have been ordered to stage folk art programmes and street plays to distract the public from ongoing drought conditions.

Context

Public hearings are mandatory steps for major infrastructure projects to gather citizen feedback before final approvals are granted. Water resource management and agricultural distress often become major political flashpoints between ruling and opposition parties in Indian states during dry spells.