KTR on Kaleshwaram: Congress waiting for barrages to collapse, pin blame on KCR, BRS

Hyderabad: The Opposition in the Telangana government BRS on Tuesday said they would be visiting Medigadda barrage of the Kaleshwaram project on March 1 to explain its benefits to people and to ‘expose’ the Congress government’s efforts to show their predecessor in poor light.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the government of conspiring to defame the previous BRS regime over the project. He announced that his party would undertake a ‘Chalo Medigadda’ visit to explain the ‘comprehensive nature’ of the Kaleshwaram project and its benefits to the people.

“BRS would clarify the doubts people have about the Kaleshwaram project,” said KTR and added that about 150 to 200 BRS leaders, including MLAs, MPs and other leaders, would be a part of the visit.

Claiming that there have been several instances of irrigation projects suffering damage in India, he demanded that the Telangana government carry out repairs to the Medigadda barrage and provide water to the farmers.

‘Small damage magnified’

The State government can conduct an inquiry into the damage to the Medigadda barrage and take action accordingly, he said.

KT Rama Rao claimed that a ‘small damage’ is being shown through a magnifying glass. Acknowledging that a problem occurred in three out of the 84 piers in one (Medigadda) barrage, he claimed that an attempt is being made to gain political mileage by showing as if the whole project would be washed away.

KTR alleges conspiracy against entire Kaleshwaram project

Kaleshwaram project comprises three barrages, 15 reservoirs and 21 pumping stations, Rama Rao said.

“We have our doubts. Looking at the way (CM) Revanth Reddy is speaking and the statements being made, we feel that the (Congress) government has some conspiratorial thoughts. We feel that the government has an evil intent, a conspiracy that the three barrages of Kaleshwaram should wash away,” he alleged.

“In case the three barrages are washed away, by leaving them without carrying out repairs, during floods in the rainy season, we foresee a cheap way of thinking to say that those (structures) built by (former CM and BRS president) KCR have been washed away,” he said.

Telangana farmers should see through the ‘conspiracy’ when a government says that it does not want to take up repairs (immediately) and that water would not be filled in the barrages, he claimed.

Ongoing controversy

The ruling Congress and BRS have been engaged in a war of words over the damage to some piers of the Medigadda barrage.

The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) found in November last year that the Medigadda barrage had been severely compromised, rendering it useless unless fully rehabilitated.

Inputs from PTI