It’s KCR’s brainwave to construct Medigadda barrage: Fmr top babus

Hyderabad: Former Chief Secretary SK Joshi and former Irrigation secretary Rajat Kumar admitted that the former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao took the decision on the construction of Medigadda. They also disclosed that lapses in the design, poor O and M and gates maintenance could be the main reasons for the damage of the piers of the Medigadda barrage.

Justice Ghose Commission resumed the probe into alleged irregularities in Kaleshwaram lift project and also the damage of three barrages including Medigadda and Annaram. The two officials attended the open house enquiry conducted by the Commission here on Wednesday.

Joshi replied to a volley of questions posed by the Commission on the shelving of Pranahita Chevella project and also Tummidihatti. The retired top official explained that the Central Water Commission (CWC) suggested limited water sources would not help to take up Pranahita. He also said that KCR took the decision of the construction of Medigadda without constituting Cabinet Sub Committee in the entire episode.

The former Chief Secretary also told the Commission that the Kaleshwaram project was constructed by taking loans from the banks by floating Kaleshwaram Corporation as the state budget proposal was not sufficient to meet the fund requirement. However, no bonds were issued for the mobilisation of the funds. He admitted he was not aware of the high power committee on the project. However, he said that a technical committee was constituted.

Medigadda barrage was built because of the high inundation on the Maharashtra side. The Kaleshwaram project was constructed with 28 packages and 8 links. Joshi said that about 200 permissions were given to the respective packages at different times.

The Commission also recorded the statements of Rajat Kumar who said that improper gate operations could be one of the reasons for the damage of Medigadda barrage. He said that KCR gave a presentation on the project in the Assembly in 2015 and gave permission for the project in 2016. Rajat Kumar also disclosed that water was stored in three barrages only for lifting.

He said that the damage done to the barrages could not be repaired due to the election code. When the Commission asked the reason for the damage of the piers, he told the Commission that there was a suspicion that the piers collapsed due to the lack of sand under the barrage foundation and that the accident could also have occurred due to improper quality control.