Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders have announced a visit to the Kaleshwaram Project on March 1 after Congress leaders led by chief minister Revanth Reddy paid a visit to the site.
Reddy alongside party legislators and ministers paid a visit to the project to inspect damaged barrages of the lift irrigation project, a flagship project of the former BRS government.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao said that they will visit Medigadda, Sundilla, and Annaram barrages.
KTR has alleged a conspiracy by the Congress government stating that they want all three barrages to fail and ultimately blame KCR.
“Medigadda barrage can be repaired in 2 months, if a coffer dam is built around the three piers that have cracked. Take whatever action you want, but prioritise repairs,” stated KTR.
He further added that small damage is been magnified for political mileage. “Give farmers’ needs a top priority. We demand to build a coffer dam. At least start one pump if not all pumps.”
The initiative which was aimed at addressing the state’s water needs and enhancing agricultural productivity, garnered attention for its scale and innovative approach to water management. However, the project faced flak after three of its barrages reported cracks and damages within months of its launch.
The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana faces intense criticism and controversy due to alleged engineering lapses and corruption accusations. The project aimed to provide water for irrigation and drinking purposes across nearly half of the state’s districts.
Six piers of the Medigadda barrage within the Kaleshwaram project sank into the ground on October 21, prompting concerns about the structure’s stability and safety.
Opposition parties, including the Congress and the BJP, seized upon the issue to attack the then-ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government led by former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.
The Congress has labelled the project as an “ATM” for the CM’s family, claiming that the project has benefited the CM’s family rather than the general population. The BJP has also accused the state government of poor design and low-quality work.
CAG report on Kaleshwaram
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that was tabled in the state Assembly this month stated that the multi-purpose Lift Irrigation Project on the Godavari River in Telangana’s Kaleshwaram of the previous BRS in Telangana is “economically unviable.”
The cost of the project is now likely to exceed Rs 1.4 lakh crore (Rs 1,47,427.41 crore) as against the cost of Rs 81,911.01 crore projected to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the CAG report stated.
The absence of a comprehensive plan duly spelling out the sources of funds for a project of this scale will have a long-term impact on the finances of the State, and is an indication of improper planning, the CAG report stated.
