Suryapet: Minister for Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday alleged that canals and irrigation tanks were breached during recent rains due to their poor maintenance by the BRS government for 10 years.

He inspected the repair to Nagarjuna Sagar left canal at Kagithapu Ramachandrapuram in Nadigudem mandal and repair to Mukhyala branch major and Redlakunda major at Karakkayalagudem and Arlagudem in the district.

Speaking on the occasion, he said breaches in the canals and irrigation tanks reflected he poor maintenance by the irrigation department during the BRS government. BRS has no moral right to criticise the Congress government.

He said BRS leaders indulged in mudslinging against the state government on flood relief measures. The earlier government had not even filled up vacant assistant executive engineer (A.E.E) posts in the irrigation department, which led to poor maintenance of canals and irrigation tanks, he added.

After coming to power, the Congress government filled up 700 AEE and 1,800 lashkar ( gates operator) posts in a short span of time, he added. He said appointment orders would be released to them at a programme in Jala Soudha on September 26 in the hands of Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy.

Stating that the state government is committed to protecting the crops of ayacut farmers by restoring the irrigation facility, he said short tenders were called for repairing to the breached canals and the works are close to completion. The state government put the district authorities on alert immediately after red alert was issued by the India Meteorological Department.

He announced that water would be released to Nagarjuna Sagar left canal from Tuesday morning and irrigation facility would be resumed to the ayacut. Suryapet district collector Tejas Nandalal Pawar and officials of the irrigation department were present at the meeting.