Hyderabad: Strongly condemning Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leadership for trying to distort facts related to the sinking of Medigadda barrage rendering the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) defunct, irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has reiterated that the state government will initiate action against those found guilty of wrongdoing based on the reports of Kaleshwaram judicial commission, the National Dam safety Authority (NDSA), and the vigilance and enforcement wing.
Addressing the media in Hyderabad on Friday, May 23, Uttam questioned what problem did BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, Siddipet BRS MLA T Harish Rao and BJP MP Eatala Rajender have, to depose before the judicial commission on Kaleshwaram project, when they have not done anything wrong.
Rubbishing BRS working president KT Rama Rao’s (KTR) allegation that Congress had planted a bomb near the Medigadda barrage resulting in its sinking, Uttam questioned what was preventing them from making the same allegation before the judicial commission, or in taking legal recourse.
“It is a drama being enacted by the BRS leaders to cover-up their mistakes and corruption. No government has taken short-term loans through non-banking financial institutions for over 11 percent interest rate like BRS did. Rs 21,000 crore was spent just to build the link 1 of the project which comprises the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages along with their pump houses. If the people’s money gets wasted in this way, should the government keep quiet,” he questioned.
On the claims of BRS leaders that water could be filled at Medigadda even in this condition, he said that 44 villages, the entire Bhadrachalam town and Sammakka-Sarakka barrages could get washed away if that is done.
Way forward for KLIS
Uttam Kumar Reddy said that two central institutions were being engaged to drill boreholes at the Medigadda barrage and conduct the testing of the soil samples, and that the state government was also seeking assistance from the Bauer Group, on how to take the next steps.
He said that the state government was proceeding with the geophysical and geotechnical analysis of the three barrages as per the advice of the Central Water Commission (CWC).
Hoping that the soil testing will be done before the onset of monsoons, he mentioned that there was still considerable water at the Medigadda barrage, and to conduct soil testing there, temporary structures needed to be built there, which could be a copper dam or a rubber dam.
Way forward for SLBC
Asserting that the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) collapse happened only because of the previous BRS government neglecting the project for 10 years which resulted in the accumulation of water from the above causing the accident, he said that steps were being taken to complete the tunnel works.
He said helicopter-borne electromagnetic study was being done to begin the works, and that the best possible experts from the Indian Army, who are experts in tunneling were being engaged to complete the tunnel works.
On pending projects
Mentioning that chief minister A Revanth Reddy held a detailed review of pending projects with irrigation officials on May 14, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the priority was to deliver the pending projects which could create larger ayacut at a lesser cost first.
He said target was set to complete the pending projects in Palamuru region like the Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Bhima, and Koilsagar by December 2025.
He also said that a target to complete Narlapur, Vattem, Yedhula, and Karivena reservoirs under the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) was set for 6 months, and for Uddandapur reservoir it was 18 months.
He said Dindi Lift Irrigation Project, SLBC, Sitarama project, and Gouravelli reservoir were also on top priority for the state government.
He also stated that the state government has sanctioned Rs 2,000 crore for completing the Devadhula Lift Irrigation Scheme.
He mentioned that the state government has recruited and trained 1,100 irrigation engineers to strengthen the irrigation department, and recruited 1,800 Lashkars on a contract basis, to regulate the gates at irrigation projects, canals and reservoirs.
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