HYDERABAD: If the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project had not been re-engineered or redesigned by the state government, the mammoth project could not have materialised, irrigation minister T Harish Rao has said.
Only after the project had been re-engineered and redesigned did the Central Water Commission (CWC) gave the green signal for its execution. The erstwhile Congress regime had failed to get the required clearances from CWC for the Kaleshwaram project but the foresight and vision of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in redesigning the project as suggested by the CWC and also amicably resolving the inter-state problems with Maharashtra, the central clearances were obtained to speed up the work and to ensure water for a total ayacut of 37.08 lakh acres in phases by 2021-2022.
Answering a question raised by G Sunitha during question hour in the Assembly on Wednesday, Harish Rao said the chief minister and irrigation experts, after studying the previous proposal, came to a conclusion that the project needed to be redesigned for getting approval from the CWC.
Harish Rao accused the Congress regime of failing to get national project recognition for Kaleshwaram despite the fact that Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre. Had they pursued with the central government as was done in the case of Polavaram project in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, Kaleshwaram too would have been declared as a national project, he said. Harish Rao said works from Medigadda barrage to Sripada Yellampally reservoir and to mid-Manair reservoir and further to Komaravalli Mallanna Sagar and to Kondapochamma Sagar were in advanced stage of execution and the remaining works were going at a brisk pace.
Kishan’s charge refuted
Harish Rao lashed out at the sweeping remarks made by BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy that irrigation project contracts were given to contractors without detailed project reports (DPRs). During question hour, Kishan Reddy alleged that estimates were constantly revised, projects redesigned and tenders for various works changed from time to time but the contractors entrusted with the works were not changed.Reacting to it, Harish Rao said that the redesigning of irrigation projects only helped to ensure and meet the water requirements.