KT Rama Rao calls Godavari water restoration true tribute to poet Mallavajhala

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao restoring Godavari River waters to use for agriculture would be the true tribute to poet Mallavajhala Sadasivudu. He recalled that Sadasivudu’s song “Thalapuna Paaruthundi Godavari” had inspired people during the Telangana statehood movement for water rights.

Recalling the role of poetry and songs in the Telangana movement, he said cultural expression had helped sustain public confidence in the struggle for statehood.

Speaking at the Mallavajhala Sadasivudu Memorial Awards function organised by Telangana Vikas Samithi, Rama Rao stated that the government ignored repeated appeals of the BRS to lift the available water and save standing crops. He said the Congress government’s neglect had left fields parched despite abundant water in the rivers.

He accused the government of neglecting the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy projects out of political animosity towards BRS chief and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. He said 750 TMCft of water had flowed into Godavari River and 258 TMCft into the Krishna River during the first seven-and-a-half months of the monsoon season. Nearly 1,000 TMCft had flowed into the sea, while farmers were struggling for irrigation, he remarked.

At the function, memorial awards for 2024-25 and 2025-26 were presented to Cheman Singh and Sangishetty Srinivas, respectively. Tirunagari Devakidevi and Kavvampalli Swamy were also honoured for their contributions to literature and culture.