HYDERABAD: BJP MP and former finance minister Eatala Rajender on Friday told the Justice PC Ghose Commission of Inquiry that the decision to construct the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, including the selection of barrage sites, was taken collectively by the “entire Cabinet” and not by the Finance department.
The commission posed 19 questions to Rajender and cross-examined him for 20 minutes.
The Kaleshwaram Commission has summoned Rajender, former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former Irrigation minister T Harish Rao for cross-examination. Harish Rao is scheduled to appear before the Commission on June 9 and KCR on June 11.
Rajender, who served as finance minister from June 2014 to December 2018 during the BRS regime, told the commission that although a barrage was initially proposed at Tummidihetti with an estimated cost of `38,000 crore, it was later shifted to Medigadda due to objections raised by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Maharashtra government.
He explained that Maharashtra had objected to the submergence of a large area, including a wildlife sanctuary, within its territory. The neighbouring state had also insisted on reducing the height of the Tummidihetti barrage from 152 metres to 148 metres.
‘Project cost escalated following ryots’ additional demands’
Rajender said the government had planned to allocate 30 tmcft of water for urban drinking purposes, 15 tmcft for industrial use and another 10 tmcft for rural drinking water needs, in addition to targeting irrigation for 16.5 lakh acres. As the water availability at Tummidihetti was insufficient to meet these requirements, the source was shifted to Medigadda.
He further stated that a Cabinet sub-committee — comprising the then Irrigation minister T Harish Rao, R&B minister Thummala Nageswara Rao and himself — was constituted by the then chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to vet the technical committee’s report on the project and present it to the Cabinet.
The Cabinet later approved the construction of the Kaleshwaram project. At that time, the estimated cost stood at `63,000 crore. However, following additional demands from farmers seeking irrigation benefits, the cost rose to `82,000 crore. “I do not know the present cost of the project,” the BJP MP said.
When questioned about a payment of `597.45 lakh to WAPCOS for preparing a detailed project report, Rajender said: “I do not know”. On the Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project Corporation Limited (KIPCL), he said it was established due to the lack of direct budgetary allocations for the project. He clarified that the corporation did not fall under the purview of the Finance department but added that the government would provide counter guarantees to enable it to raise loans.
‘Take action against me or KCR if we are responsible’
Speaking to reporters, the BJP MP demanded that the Ghose Commission submit its report without delay and take action against those responsible for the sinking of the barrage piers. “Take action against me or KCR, whoever is responsible,” he asserted. He also cautioned the Congress government against using the issue for political gain, recalling KCR had earlier described Kaleshwaram as his “brainchild” and called himself its “creator”.