Komatireddy challenges KCR and KTR to reside near Musi river for a month 

Senior Congress leader and Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has come down heavily on Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leadership, accusing them of neglecting the decades-long suffering of people due to the polluted Musi river. He challenged former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and former Minister K.T. Rama Rao to live near the Musi for a month to understand the pollution affecting the districts of Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy, and Hyderabad.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mr. Venkat Reddy raised concerns about environmental degradation, public health risks, and the alleged misuse of funds by the previous BRS government. He criticised the leadership of KCR, KTR, and Harish Rao, accusing them of indifference towards Nalgonda. He condemned the BRS government for failing to address the pollution in the Musi river, once a lifeline but now a “poisonous drain” due to industrial effluents and untreated sewage.

Mr. Venkat Reddy lamented the plight of Nalgonda residents and stressed the urgent need for Musi’s purification to save lives. He alleged misappropriation of funds allocated for the river’s cleanup and criticised the previous government for ignoring water treatment recommendations from the World Health Organisation. He also suggested that KCR and BRS leaders consult Priyanka Varghese, former OSD to KCR, who is researching the Musi river as part of her PhD programme, to understand the extent of pollution and its harmful effects.

He further highlighted the failure of Mission Bhagiratha to provide clean water, citing untreated fluoride contamination in Nalgonda’s groundwater as per a recent report from the Central Jal Shakti Ministry. The Minister accused the previous government of allowing harmful industrial chemicals to pollute the Musi, endangering agricultural lands and public health. He affirmed the Congress government’s commitment to provide clean water and addressing environmental issues under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Meanwhile, Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy echoed similar views. He alleged that both the BRS and BJP leaders were launching a venomous campaign against the Revanth Reddy government by provoking the sentiments of people residing along the Musi river bed. The MP alleged that BRS senior leader and former minister T. Harish Rao was attempting to provoke people to end their lives, similar to his alleged actions during the Telangana movement.

Published - October 01, 2024 08:43 pm IST