HYDERABAD: Pointing out that his visit to Medigadda had been decided one month earlier and yet BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao chose to hold his public meeting on the same day, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday accused the pink party leadership of touching the feet of RSS leaders to delay a CBI probe into the Kaleshwaram “scam”.
“Harish Rao is making efforts to put pressure on the Union government through RSS leaders not to move forward with a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption in the construction of the Kaleshwaram project. Harish Rao travelled to Delhi to touch the feet of BJP leaders, seeking that a CBI probe not be initiated,” Revanth told reporters after inspecting the sunken piers of the Medigadda barrage.
He demanded that Harish reveal whom he met in Delhi. He said: “People of Telangana should know. If Harish Rao is ready, I will order an inquiry to find out whom he met in Delhi.”
Revealing that the state government had recently written a reminder to the Union government, the chief minister warned that if a CBI probe is not ordered immediately, they will start protests. He made it clear that the culprits would not be spared.
At Medigadda, technical experts briefed him on the situation and made suggestions regarding repairs to the barrage. He also held a review meeting with officials on the repairs.
The chief minister also laid the foundation stone for the development of the Mukteshwara Swamy temple in Kaleshwaram. Later, the chief minister said that despite nine months having passed, the Centre has not ordered a CBI probe.
He said: “Recently, the state government has also written to the Union government to begin a CBI inquiry immediately. Everyone involved should be punished.
We also informed the Centre that if the probe is not ordered immediately, we will start protests. After this episode, BRS leaders Harish Rao and B Vinod Kumar went to Delhi to touch the feet of BJP leaders seeking protection. Why have you kept their Delhi visit secret until this morning? For how many days will you stop the CBI inquiry? Why is the Centre remaining silent despite repeated reminders from the state government? My government will come out with a specific plan of action.”
Ridiculing Harish’s meeting with legal experts in Delhi,the chief minister said: “After the judgment has been reserved, what is the need to speak to legal experts? What remains to be argued further in the case after judgment is reserved?”
‘Kaleshwaram constructed for political gains’
Meanwhile, Revanth alleged that KCR redesigned the Pranahita-Chevella project and constructed the Kaleshwaram project for “political gains and corruption”.
He said: “Even after the government of undivided Andhra Pradesh spent `6,158 crore and `5,000 crore was being spent after the formation of Telangana on the Pranahita-Chevella project, KCR changed the name, site and estimates of the project. KCR shifted the project from Tummidihatti to Medigadda, Sundilla and Annaram, and the estimates increased from Rs 38,000 crore to Rs 1.5 lakh crore.”
Stating that the BRS created an impression that Kaleshwaram was a major project, he said that as early as 2020, engineers had written to L&T after identifying faults, and the Medigadda barrage eventually sank in 2023.
He said: “The NDSA inspected the site and gave a preliminary report in October 2023, during the BRS government, stating that there were lapses in design, construction, quality and maintenance. It also suggested not storing water in the project. Even after this, no action was taken. The Justice PC Ghose Commission also found faults in Kaleshwaram.”
The chief minister alleged that water from Kaleshwaram was not provided even to one lakh acres. Despite spending `1 lakh crore, only 162 tmcft were lifted through the project between 2019 and 2023. He said the government would consider all suggestions made by technical experts and repair the Medigadda barrage. He added that the project would also be constructed at Tummidihatti.
“One month ago, we decided to visit the project on April 20. After learning this, KCR decided to hold a public meeting because if we and technical experts visited and identified the lapses, it would create problems for him, and on the same day, KCR conducted the public meeting,” he added.