Ghose panel seeks more time to submit Kaleshwaram report

Hyderabad: Justice Chandra Ghose Commission on Kaleshwaram is likely to seek more time to submit its report on the damages to the project as its work got delayed to due model code of conduct.

But now that the code is lifted, the commission has put the probe on fast track and has served notices to the contract agencies which have taken up the works of Mediagadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages. The agencies have been asked to furnish the details of the technical and expenditure incurred on the barrages.

L&T company was the main company which had taken contract for the Medigadda barrage. The Afcon infra development company was held responsible for the leakage at Annaram, and the Navayuga company was facing allegations of low-quality construction of the Sundilla barrage.

Ghose, who completed his visit to the three barrages, on Monday started investigation into the alleged corruption and the role of agencies and the previous BRS government in escalating the estimation of the entire lift project.

He said that seven persons have been given notices to appear for hearing on Monday morning. Another 18 persons have been asked to appear before the commission on Tuesday.

A total of 54 complaints have been received on alleged corruption in the project and all of them were under scrutiny.

Sources said that the commission is also likely to summon former CM K Chandrashekhar Rao who held Irrigation portfolio in the second term and also former Irrigation minister T Harish Rao in the BRS government for their statements.

The irrigation department has been asked to provide every information regarding the Kaleshwaram and the agreements entered with the agencies. The DPRs and the violation of DPRs in the construction would be reviewed in the probe.

The commission would also summon former Engineer in Chief (Irrigation) Muralidhar and also Kaleshwaram ENC N Venkateswarlu to get more inputs which required to find the facts behind the alleged corruption in the Kaleshwaram and poor Operation and Management (O& M) of the barrages during the BRS regime. The two top irrigation officials were removed from their posts soon after the Congress came to power in the state.