Hyderabad: Retired chief engineer of the Telangana Irrigation department A Narender Reddy, who deposed before the Justice Ghose commission of inquiry into Medigadda barrage sinking and Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), has reportedly disclosed that he was pressurised by former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), former irrigation minister T Harish Rao, and his higher-ups to approve the designs and drawings for the construction of the barrages under the project in haste.
On Thursday, the commission of inquiry cross-examined him on various issues about the designs, construction, operation and maintenance of the of the Kaleshwaram project.
Narender Reddy informed the commission that the designs for Kaleshwaram were prepared as per the locations where the barrages were supposed to be built but submitted that even after sending the designs to the Central Water Commission (CWC), changes were made to the designs.
He said that although there was a chance to rectify the mistakes after the Medigadda sinking incident, the then Telangana government failed to respond in time back then.
Narendar Reddy said that though he didn’t initially give his consent for final approval of the drawings and designs for the Kaleshwara, barrages, he had to give in to the pressure put on him by those in power at the time. The official also reportedly told the commission that in every design of the project L&T had held discussions with the CDO, alleged negligence shown by officials during the construction of the Kaleshwara project led to ‘certain’ blunders.
The retired chief engineer also claimed that due to pressure from above, quality control wasn’t executed properly. He also reportedly stated that operation and maintenance of the barrages were not done properly, resulting in the sinking of the Medigadda barrage.
