Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday vowed to take up the Musi rejuvenation project at any cost and appealed to all sections of people to cooperate with his government’s efforts to revive the Musi river, once a lifeline for the region, now reduced to a toxic drain due to years of neglect.
Reddy embarked on a three km-long padayatra for rejuvenation of Musi river from Sangem village in Nalgonda district up to Nagireddypally, where he addressed a public meeting.
The rally, aimed at highlighting ill-effects of Musi river, one of the most polluted rivers in the country, on people’s health and fertile land, will be continued by the Congress leaders of the region.
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Speaking at the public rally, Reddy lashed out at the opposition parties, particularly the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), for obstructing the Musi river restoration project and pledged to take decisive action to rejuvenate the river.
“The Musi, which once provided pure water, has now turned into a cesspool of poison. This is a threat greater than an atomic bomb to the people living along its banks,” the chief minister said.
Expressing solidarity with the people of the Musi catchment area who have seen their traditional livelihoods destroyed by pollution, Reddy said agriculture produce in these areas was no longer consumable, fisheries sector had collapsed, and even livestock products were deemed unsafe.
“The people of this region, once thriving, are now forced to sell their lands because of the dire conditions,” he remarked.
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He accused the BRS leaders of prioritizing corruption over public welfare. “The BRS leaders know how to loot, not how to serve. They are actively trying to block the cleanup of Musi for their selfish gains,” he said.
He also extended gratitude to the Communist Party for their support of the restoration efforts and challenged those opposing the cleanup to face the people directly. “If you have the courage, reveal your identities. The people of Nalgonda will not tolerate any obstruction to Musi’s revival,” he declared.
Asserting that he was committed to the cause of Musi rejuvenation, Revanth Reddy announced a state-wide movement to galvanize support for the project. “In January 2025, I will lead a padayatra from Vadapally to Hyderabad to demand Musi’s rejuvenation. This is just the beginning,” he said, throwing down the gauntlet to his opponents.
The chief minister emphasized the need to act now, drawing comparisons to development efforts in Gujarat. “If Gujarat can be transformed, why can’t we restore the Musi? This is not just an environmental issue but a matter of survival for future generations,” he stressed.
Earlier, a large number of party leaders, followers and ministers accompanied Revanth Reddy, as came to Sangem from Yadagirigutta and offered prayers at the village’s historic Bheema Lingeshwara Swamy temple, before commencing his padayatra.