HYDERABAD: Responding to Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy’s PowerPoint presentation on the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report on the Kaleshwaram project, BRS leader and ex-Irrigation minister T Harish Rao alleged that the former was “recycling” outdated political rhetoric using the report.
Countering Uttam’s claims with his own 10-page PowerPoint presentation, Harish said that the former’s presentation lacked substance, clarity and relevance.
He added that it was the Congress that opposed the constitution of the NDSA, terming it “unconstitutional” and an “encroachment on state’s rights”. Now, the same NDSA report was being treated as a sacred document to attack the BRS, he noted.
The BRS leader pointed out that the NDSA report nowhere mentioned any corruption in the construction of the Medigadda barrage. “Yet, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy desperately tried to allege corruption, which was pitiable,” he said.
Harish also expressed doubts over the timing of the release of the final report of the NDSA, which coincided with the silver jubilee celebrations of the BRS.
He also wondered why the NDSA team did not inspect Polavaram, where the diaphragm wall and guide wall collapsed despite the huge expenditure incurred on the project.
The former minister alleged that Uttam and the Congress were using the NDSA report for political gains, just like the ED and CBI were being used to target political rivals.
Harish urged the state government to stop the political blame game and focus on repairing Medigadda immediately for the benefit of farmers. Playing politics with the water needs of farmers would be disastrous, he cautioned the government.
‘Stop false campaign, expedite repair works’
BRS leader T Harish Rao alleged that Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy has selective memory as he failed to highlight how major breaches, like the SLBC collapse, occurred under the Congress.
On Uttam’s allegations that Kaleshwaram’s cost escalated from Rs 80,000 crore to Rs 1.5 lakh crore, Harish recalled that the cost of the Polavaram project too went up from Rs 9,500 crore to Rs 95,000 crore.
Yet, the Congress conveniently ignored that fact while attacking Kaleshwaram, he said. Harish said that when the NDSA preliminary report suggested repairs to CC blocks, the Congress government ignored it.
He said that Kaleshwaram’s improvements were made under expert guidance and it was not a political decision. He called on the Congress government to stop the misinformation campaign, expedite repair works and ensure justice for farmers.