*Karimnagar, September 23, 2024* – A significant political gathering took place in Jammikunta, Karimnagar, where several prominent Telangana leaders, including former MP Boinapally Vinod Kumar and Padi Kaushik Reddy, the MLA of Huzurabad Constituency, addressed various developmental issues. Also present were ex-MLC Naradasu Laxman Rao, former SC Corporation Chairman Banda Srinivas, and former Tourism Corporation Chairman Gellu Srinivasa Yadav. A key focus of the meeting was the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, which continues to be a point of political contention in Telangana. MP Ponnam Prabhakar took the opportunity to highlight the Congress leadership’s misunderstanding of the Kaleshwaram project. According to Prabhakar, many Congress leaders mistakenly associate Kaleshwaram solely with the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages. He emphasized that Kaleshwaram is much more extensive, with hundreds of components, and urged the Congress party to educate its leaders on the full scope of the project.**Features and Impact of Kaleshwaram Project**The Kaleshwaram project is considered one of the most ambitious irrigation ventures in the country. It comprises a vast network of barrages, reservoirs, gravity canals, pipelines, tunnels, underground pump houses, surge pools, and power substations. Spread across 20 districts of Telangana, the project is designed to irrigate a total of 45 lakh acres, including both new ayakattu (command area) and stabilization areas.The project also aims to provide 40 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of drinking water and 16 TMC for industrial purposes. Key specifications include:- A total water supply line stretching 1,832 km, including 1,531 km of gravity channels, 203 km of cavity tunnels, and 98 km of pressure pipelines.- 22 lifts and 21 pump houses are operational to ensure water reaches higher altitudes.- The project requires 4,627.24 megawatts (MW) of electricity, with an actual power consumption of around 10,150 MU (million units).To meet this demand, 21 electricity substations have been established, including six 400 KV stations, eight 220 KV stations, four 132 KV stations, and three 33 KV stations.