Uttam accuses KTR of misleading people with false propaganda

Hyderabad: Irrigationand Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy accused BRS working president K Tarakarama Rao of making irresponsible comments regarding the Kaleshwaram project.

On Sunday, he dismissed KTR’s demands to fill the project's reservoirs as dangerous and ill-informed. He emphasised that following KTR's suggestions could lead to catastrophic consequences, including structural damage to key barrages such as Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla. He warned that overfilling these reservoirs could result in severe downstream flooding, threatening the lives and properties in villages like Bhadrachalam and compromising projects such as Sammakka-Saralamma and Sitaram LIS.

The Minister criticised the previous BRS government, led by K Chandrashekar Rao, for mismanagement and corruption in redesigning and implementing the Kaleshwaram project. He accused the TRS of unnecessarily shifting the project from Tummadi Hatti to Medigadda, increasing the project cost from Rs 30,000 crores to Rs 85,000 crores without expanding the ayacut. He claimed that this mismanagement led to the collapse of the Medigadda barrage shortly after its completion, a situation he attributed to poor planning and execution by the BRS government.

Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that KCR and KTR have mortgaged Telangana's future by putting a significant financial burden on the state. He pointed out that the state is already paying Rs 15,000 crore in interest and principal payments, which is expected to increase to Rs 25,000 crore upon the project's completion. He also highlighted that the state spent Rs 94,000 crore on the project, but only 93,000 acres were brought under cultivation, questioning the project's effectiveness. He said a total of Rs. 1.45 lakh crore would be needed to complete the project.

He criticised KTR for attempting to shift the blame for the Medigadda barrage's collapse onto the Congress government, which assumed office 47 days after the incident. He condemned KTR's remarks as immature and lacking in knowledge, accusing him of spreading misinformation to deflect responsibility from the BRS's failures. He emphasised that the Congress government is focused on addressing the issues caused by the previous administration and is committed to following the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) recommendations to ensure safety and sustainability.

Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated that the Congress government was a responsible administration that prioritises expert opinions and was committed to transparency and accountability. He assured that a thorough investigation into the Medigadda barrage collapse is underway and those responsible will be held accountable. Responding to a query on KTR alleging Congress conspiracy in damage to Medigadda barrage, he advised KTR to submit the details to the Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Chandra Ghosh, investigating the Kaleshwaram project scam.

He condemned KTR's remarks as reckless and insisted that adhering to technical guidelines and expert recommendations is crucial to avoid disastrous consequences. He stressed that the Congress government would not compromise on safety and was committed to rectifying the mistakes made by the previous administration.