HYDERABAD: Holding former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao responsible, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy told the state Assembly early on Monday that the CBI will be asked to probe allegations of irregularities in the construction of the Kaleshwaram project.
“If state agencies investigate, then it would be said that we are resorting to vendetta politics. It will also give a chance to the opposition to cast aspersions on the government. And with WAPCOS-like central agencies already being involved, my government has decided to go for a CBI probe,” Revanth told the House at the end of his speech which concluded in the early hours of Monday.
Responding to BRS claims that there was no water availability at Tummidihatti and that the project was therefore shifted to Medigadda, the chief minister said: “Harish Rao misled the people of Telangana and the Assembly with incomplete information".
On October 24, 2014, then water resources minister Uma Bharti clearly stated that water was available in Pranahita-Chevella and that hydrology permissions were being given. It was Harish Rao who wrote a letter asking for re-examination even after the Centre confirmed that 2,025 tmcft of water was available.
The then Congress government had already given permission in 2009 based on water availability. Why did Harish Rao write again, when water availability was confirmed? Once an MLA wins and is given a certificate, will anyone ask to check again?”
Revanth alleged that all records on water availability were deliberately suppressed by the then BRS government.
“They are attacking those who have revealed the facts in the PC Ghose Commission report. On page 98, it is clearly stated that Harish Rao made a mistake, and that is why they are lashing out,” he said.
He asked the BRS: “Tell us what kind of inquiry you want against you. Do you want a CBI or ED investigation? They are trying to mislead without clarifying whether they want a CID probe or another form of investigation.”
Revanth said that Harish Rao continued to behave as if he were still a minister and alleged that the name, location and estimates of the project were altered to loot Rs 1 lakh crore. “The Union government made it clear that water was available at Tummidihatti in 2009 and again in 2014. Harish Rao is covering up by hiding the fact of water availability. If noted Telangana engineer Vidyasagar Rao were alive, he would have resorted to suicide by jumping into Kaleshwaram, unable to listen to their lies,” he remarked.
The chief minister added that the Maharashtra government never objected to the project’s construction at Tummidihatti, but only asked for the proposed dam height of 152 metres to be reduced due to submergence in their state. He alleged that KCR redesigned the project “with the intention of becoming richer than the Nizam”.
Explaining further, he said: “After KCR and Harish Rao had already decided to build it near Medigadda, a committee of retired engineers headed by Ananta Ramulu was appointed. The committee recommended that constructing the barrage at Medigadda was not desirable. The then BRS rulers ignored this report and built the project where they wanted.
The PC Ghose Commission also found that the engineers’ report was suppressed and that the Commission itself was misled. The Commission recommended punishment for BRS leaders.” Revanth further alleged that the report was destroyed because the committee’s findings created hurdles for the BRS leadership’s plans.
Rebutting Harish Rao’s claim that the Central Water Commission (CWC) had warned against construction at Tummidihatti, the chief minister said the CWC had also warned against construction at Medigadda. “Why then did you construct the project at Medigadda?” he asked.
He said: “On page 72 of the report, it is stated that the CWC said the barrage could not be built at Medigadda, because the same reasons given for shifting the project from Tummidihatti to Medigadda also applied there.”
“They should be hanged for their misdeeds and wrongdoings,” the chief minister added.