Hyderabad, Feb 13 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday slammed his predecessor and BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao for not taking part in the ongoing Assembly session and speaking on crucial irrigation issues, but attending his party organised meeting in Nalgonda.
Briefing the media after a visit to the Medigadda barrage whose piers had “sunk” last year, Revanth Reddy said the vigilance inquiry ordered by the state government has in its preliminary report highlighted the defects in project designs, construction and maintenance.
Medigadda barrage is part of the mega Kaleshwaram irrigation project on Godavari river.
“If we consider only Medigadda, the estimates were increased from about Rs 1,800 crore to over Rs 4,000 crore and the corruption that took place. We see media reports about CAG highlighting the large scale corruption that took place in Kaleshwaram and thousands of crores of money that was looted,” the CM said.
The Congress government sought to take up debate during the ongoing budget session of Assembly on the “corruption” in irrigation projects in view of the reports of CAG and vigilance, after releasing a white paper on relevant issues, he added.
However, the BRS president, sensing that he would be exposed over his alleged corruption, chose to mount a counterattack on the Congress government by addressing a public meeting at Nalgonda with the allegation that the government handed over projects on Krishna river to KRMB hurting the state’s interests, Revanth Reddy claimed.
If Rao was honest, he would have attended the Assembly session, Revanth Reddy said.
Revanth Reddy spoke at the Medigadda barrage site after inspecting the barrage along with ministers, MLAs, and MLCs from different parties.
They were briefed by officials on the occasion.
The CM criticised Rao and the BJP for not visiting the barrage despite the government extending an invitation.
Attacking Rao, Revanth Reddy said the “Medigadda and Kaleshwaram project got sacrificed due to your loot”.
Responding to Rao’s comments that he would have advised the Congress government on the handing over of Krishna river projects to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), he said the Congress government sought the presence of Chandrasekhar Rao in the Assembly.
Revanth Reddy said he had even asked the Speaker to adjourn the House to facilitate Rao’s participation in the session.
Referring to Rao’s statement that the resolution passed by the Assembly was not adequate, he wondered how BRS MLA T Harish Rao supported it then.
Rao should have attended the Assembly session and suggested amendments to the resolution, he added.
On Rao’s comments that the Chief Minister should lead an all-party delegation to Delhi to meet the Prime Minister, Revanth Reddy said Rao should make this proposal by attending the Assembly rather than making such comments in the Nalgonda public meeting.
The Chief Minister also targeted the BJP for not visiting the Medigadda barrage today and described the saffron party as a “secret friend” of the BRS.
On Union Minister and state BJP president G Kishan Reddy favouring a CBI investigation into the alleged corruption in Medigadda barrage, he said the government has already ordered a judicial inquriy. “Does BJP not have faith in judicial inquiry? he asked.
State Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged a scam in the Kaleshwaram project and claimed that such a shameful incident would not have happpened in independent India.
Addressing reporters in Warangal, Kishan Reddy sought to know why the ruling Congress was not seeking a CBI probe vis-a-vis Medigadda barrage though it was in its favour before the Assembly polls.
The ruling Congress or Revanth Reddy are not sincere in conducting a comprehensive investigation into Medigadda barrage issue, he alleged.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, ministers and MLAs left in buses from the Legislative Assembly premises after the House was adjourned for the day.
The Kaleshwaram project was touted as the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project.
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) had found in November last year that the Medigadda barrage has been severely compromised, rendering it useless unless fully rehabilitated.
The damage to the Medigadda barrage was also a major issue during the recent assembly polls. PTI SJR VVK SJR ROH
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