Justice Ghose panel gets cracking on probe into Kaleshwaram row

Hyderabad: Justice Chandra Ghose Commission on Kaleshwaram project has received some crucial information with regard to the Operation and Maintenance (O and M) of the multi-crore lift irrigation scheme from the Irrigation officials.

The Commission began a field-level probe into the alleged irregularities in the construction of the project on Monday.

The Commission summoned state Irrigation officials and asked them to furnish the details of the project with documentary evidence. During the week-long schedule, Justice Ghose would also visit Medigadda barrage which was damaged due to the sinking of the piers last year.

Official sources said that the irrigation officials already informed the Expert Committee headed by former CWC Chairman Chadrashekhar Aiyer that the engineers have sent an alert to the previous BRS government on the safety of Medigadda barrage in 2019. The last government turned down the request to take up some repairs at the barrage site to avoid a big disaster in advance. As a result, the piers were sunk due to heavy inflows. The irrigation officials also provided such important information to the Ghose Commission.

Moreover, sources said that Justice Ghose was seeking all details about the project design, finalisation of contract works, execution of the works, details of the sub-contract agencies, agreements between the government and agencies, quality control of the works and maintenance of the project.

During the investigation conducted by the state Vigilance wing and NDSA (National Dam Safety Authority)’s preliminary probe, it had already come to light that the neglect of the project’s maintenance could be one of the main reasons for the damage of barrage.

Sources said that Ghose would visit the barrage on Tuesday and enquire whether Medigadda was constructed as per the prescribed irrigation standards.

Ghose had already instructed all the top irrigation officials to attend the meetings convened by him during his weeklong stay in the state as part of the investigation in the project.

Officials say that compilation of the documentary evidence is the first big challenge before the Commission to start an in-depth probe.