Hyderabad: Former Telangana chief minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) was questioned for nearly one hour after he appeared before the PC Ghose Commission in Hyderabad earlier in the day, regarding alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.
Before the interrogation started, KCR chose not to be questioned in the open court along with 9 others who had also come for questioning.
The commission, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice PC Ghose, is investigating issues related to the project’s re-engineering, construction of barrages, contracts, the formation of Kaleshwaram Corporation, and water storage management.
Security was tightened at BRK Bhavan, where the commission’s office is located, and only KCR and nine other leaders were permitted entry.
When asked about choosing Medigadda over Tummidihatti for constructing the main barrage, KCR replied that his government had the approval of the Union government. He said Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS), which was appointed by the BRS government to to assess water availability, recommended constructing the Kaleshwaram project at Medigadda, where 282.2 TMC of water was available in the Godavari River.
The BRS government had conducted multiple meetings with the then-Maharashtra government to construct the project at Tummidihatti, which the latter did not approve.
KCR further explained the PC Ghose Commission that the decision to change the location from Annaram and Sundilla was ased onn the suggestions from the technical team.
The BRS government had already received the Centre’s approval for building three barrages, and only after that, the cabinet subcommittee was formed.
When asked about funds for the Kaleshwaram project, KCR answered that his government had secured enough funding. The government ended up exhausting the revenues because of COVID-19 outbreaks and hence it acted as the guarantee for the corporation to secure loans.
On being questioned whether he gave any directions on the storage of water in the barrages, he replied saying it was the domain of the engineers to do that.
KCR handed a CD containing a presentation of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) and a few documents including the operations and maintenance book pertaining to the project to the PC Ghose Commission.
Previously, BRS MLA Harish Rao and BJP MP Eatala Rajender also testified before the commission. The commission has already questioned more than 100 officials and is using detailed government reports and technical inputs to seek clarification from KCR.
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