Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Tuesday, September 2, handed over the investigation into Kaleshwaram project irregularities to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
According to Government Order (GO) 104, “As part of the Kaleshwaram Irrigation project, three barrages were constructed on the Godavari River at Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla. On October 21 2023, the Meddigadda Barrage was damaged”
On October 22, 2023, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) established a committee to investigate the incident. The NDSA committee inspected the Meddigada Barrage on October 24, 2023 and submitted its findings to the Telangana government on November 1, 2023.
The NDSA submitted two more reports regarding the damage to the Medigadda Barrage. The reports revealed that the damage was caused due to failure of planning, designing, quality control and poor construction material.
CM Revanth announced a CBI inquiry into the irregularities of the Kaleshwaram project. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly at the end of a short discussion on the judicial commission’s report on the Kaleshwaram project, which concluded in the early hours of Monday, Reddy said it is appropriate to hand over the probe to CBI as inter-state issues, different central and government departments and agencies are involved in the project.
Telangana High Court stops govt from adverse action
Earlier on Tuesday, the investigation was handed over to the CBI shortly after the Telangana High Court asked the Congress government not to hand over the investigation to the central agency based on the Ghose Commission’s report. The High Court also asked the government not to take adverse action regarding the irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project based on the commission’s report.
The High Court’s decision has brought relief to former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and former finance minister T Harish Rao. The court postponed the hearing on the Kaleshwarm project to October 7.
Since the Telangana chief minister announced a CBI inquiry into the Kaleshwaram project, the High Court made it clear that the case should not be handed over to the central agency based on the Ghose Commission report.
On Monday, the Telangana Assembly passed a resolution to hand over the investigation into the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project to the CBI.
This copy has been updated with the background of the Kaleshwaram project issue.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Mohammed Baleegh | 
