HYDERABAD: Asserting that the Congress government was trying to salvage the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) as it was built at the cost of the state exchequer, Irrigation Minister
N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday said that the administration will release the flood waters from all the barrages of KLIS as per the suggestion of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA).
He said that the government will take all the steps to bring the project to utilisation. Uttam’s remarks came after he attended a high-level meeting with the NDSA in Delhi.
Briefing newsmen on the discussions at the meeting, Uttam said that the state government conducted some of the tests suggested by the NDSA, and informed the agency of the complexities in undertaking other tests. He said that the Telangana delegation has discussed the necessary repair works to be carried out, and how to go forward on the project. Uttam said the government will utilise the components upstream Yellampalli.
He reiterated that around Rs 10,000 crore will be required to pay for the power needed to run all the pumps in the project, besides annual interest of Rs 10,000 crore on the project. The minister said that as per CAG report, Rs 1.5 lakh crore would have to be spent to complete the project.
Dismissing the allegations of BRS working president KT Rama Rao, Uttam said that Kaleshwaram pumped just 65 tmcft water in five years at an average of 13 tmcft per year. He said that while just 1.3 lakh stabilised ayacut was irrigated, the previous government was acting as if it had pumped water to every nook and corner.
“There should be a limit to the lies uttered by KTR. The Kaleshwaram project collapsed during your rule. The foundation piers caved in six feet deep. They (BRS government) filed an FIR floating a bomb conspiracy,” Uttam said. He said that the Congress government does not need suggestions from Rama Rao.
“The ongoing repairs will be carried out by the contractor at his expenses,” the minister said.