Useless”: Central Panel Slams Telangana Dam, KCR’s Party Hits Back

Hyderabad: 

A central panel on dam safety has ripped into the Telangana government after sections of the Medigadda (Lakshmi) barrage (which diverts, rather than stores, water) sank into the Godavari River last month, making the structure “useless unless fully rehabilitiated”. The barrage is part of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s flagship ₹ 80,000 crore Kaleshwaram Multi-Lift Irrigation Project.

The BRS has hit back at the report, pointing out it had been cleared by the Central Water Commission, which reports to the centre. Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao, who is the chief minister’s son, slammed the report as “politically motivated” and questioned its timing; it comes weeks before an Assembly poll.

“Every single irrigation project in India, including Kaleswaram, is eventually vetted by the CWC… only after they approve all specs is it given clearance… while construction and later, a CWC team called it an ‘engineering marvel’ and we got an award in the United States too…” he told NDTV.

“I am not sure what report said but if the CWC is now finding fault with a project that catapulted Telangana to become ‘the granary of India’, we have to question timing and motive.”