BRS MLA T Harish Rao
Hyderabad: Senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former minister T Harish Rao has strongly countered allegations made by minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy regarding the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, emphasizing the project’s operational success and dismissing claims of corruption and wasteful expenditure.
Harish Rao highlighted the vast scale of the Kaleshwaram project, which includes three barrages, 19 substations, 21 pump houses, 16 reservoirs, 203 kilometres of tunnels, and 231 kilometres of gravity canals.
He pointed out that irrigation water continues to flow from Kondapochamma Sagar and Mallanna Sagar, both integral components of the Kaleshwaram project.
Rao questioned the logic behind claims that over Rs 1 lakh crore was wasted, stating, “If the project cost Rs 90,000 crore and water is still reaching the fields, how can it be called a waste?”
He asserted that the ongoing supply of water itself stands as proof of the project’s utility.
Addressing corruption allegations, Rao noted that the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report did not mention any corruption in the construction of the Medigadda barrage.
He criticised minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy for making baseless corruption claims, stating, “The NDSA only identified an issue with the seventh block and suggested that Medigadda could be restored to use by reconstructing that block.”
Rao urged the government not to let political vendettas harm farmers and called for immediate repairs to Medigadda.
Harish Rao also responded to criticisms about the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR), highlighting that the Kodangal-Narayanapet lift scheme, initiated by the Congress government, lacked a DPR when tenders were issued and construction began.
He accused the Congress of double standards, pointing out that tenders for the Pranahita project were floated in 2007, but the DPR was only submitted in 2010. “Before criticising us, look at your own record,” Rao said.
Rao acknowledged that the locations of Annaram and Sundilla were changed, but clarified that these decisions were based on geological surveys and made by high-level committees.
He compared this to previous Congress-era projects like Nagarjuna Sagar and SRSP, which also saw location shifts due to practical needs.
He stressed that all necessary tests and designs were conducted before construction, and a five-member committee never deemed the Medigadda site unfeasible- only that a direct lift from Medigadda to Mid Manair was not possible, which is why water is routed via Annaram and Sundilla to Yellampalli.
Rao accused the Congress and the BJP of misusing the NDSA for political gain, likening it to the CBI and ED.
He questioned why the NDSA had not investigated or reported on similar structural failures at the Polavaram project, suggesting selective scrutiny for political purposes.
This post was last modified on April 30, 2025 11:15 am