Ghose Commission report: CM Revanth orders CBI probe into Kaleshwaram project `irregularities'

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.

The decision follows a marathon 10-hour debate in the Assembly regarding the report by the Ghose Commission.

The Commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, was appointed to investigate allegations of corruption and lapses in the project's construction.

Ghose Commission highlights major lapses

The Ghose Commission's report, submitted on July 31 and approved by the State Cabinet on August 4, has raised significant concerns about the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages.

The report highlighted negligence, financial irregularities, and suppression of facts in the project's execution.

Structural faults were found in all three barrages, and the Commission held the previous BRS government, including former CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), responsible for poor planning and execution.

A separate NDSA report also attributed the damage to the Medigadda barrage to deficiencies in design, quality control, and maintenance.

CBI inquiry to ensure impartiality

In his reply to the Assembly debate, CM Revanth Reddy emphasized the need for a CBI-led investigation, citing the involvement of multiple Central and State agencies, including public sector undertakings like WAPCOS and financial institutions such as Power Finance Corporation (PFC).

The Chief Minister accused the previous BRS regime of misusing public funds, revealing that the Kaleshwaram Corporation had borrowed Rs 85,449 crore for the project, with a significant portion at high interest rates.

Former CM and Ministers face scrutiny

The Chief Minister highlighted a 2020 complaint from an engineer regarding damage to the Medigadda barrage. He alleged that KCR was responsible for shifting the barrage location, and that then-Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao influenced the technology change.

The Ghose Commission's report stated: "The then Chief Minister can be directly and vicariously held accountable for irregularities in planning, construction, completion, operation, and maintenance of the three barrages."

Political fallout and walkout

Earlier in the day, BRS MLAs staged a walkout from the Assembly, claiming they were not given sufficient time to respond to the judicial commission's findings.

The Kaleshwaram Project, a multi-purpose initiative on the Godavari River, has been a politically sensitive issue, particularly since the damage to its barrages became a central topic in the 2023 Assembly elections.

The state government has stated that the truth must come out and those responsible for misusing public money will be held accountable.