HYDERABAD: A representative of Navayuga Engineering Company (NEC) informed the Commission of Inquiry on the Kaleshwaram project that the state government did not sign the operation and maintenance (O&M) contract after the completion certificate was issued for the Sundilla barrage.
Deposing before the one-man Commission, headed by Justice PC Ghose, NEC director Y Ramesh said defects in the designs might have caused damage to the piers of the Sundilla barrage. Ramesh also noted that even after issuing the completion certificate, the government had not cleared the company’s final bills.
When the Commission enquired about the steps taken by the company after the damage to the piers, Ramesh said they carried out repair works as suggested by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) after major floods in 2022. He added that while NEC employees were stationed at the barrage sites, no activity was currently underway.
The project in-charges of NEC, K Eshwara Rao and Chintha Madhav, also deposed before the Commission. However, the Commission observed that all the affidavits filed by the three representatives of NEC were identical, appearing to be ‘stencil cut and verbatim’. Justice Ghose commented that the other two representatives of NEC followed their director and copied the same content into their affidavits.