Water flowing in the delivery cistern from the pressure pumps of Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
After fighting it out at various platforms before and after the elections including the State Assembly, the government now plans to ‘expose’ the shortcomings and the alleged corruption in the Kaleshwaram project making a powerpoint presentation at the project site in Medigadda itself.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu will be making the presentation at the Medigadda barrage on December 29. Medigadda barrage saw the pillars caving just a few days before the elections raising doubts over the quality of construction while many irrigation experts questioned its utility value itself given the massive funds pumped in to construct the barrage.
The primary aim of the presentation seems to share the details on the advantages and disadvantages of constructing the Kaleshwaram project. The project cost, additional acreage brought under cultivation, new ayacut created and stabilisation of the ayacut, quality of construction and the massive power needed to pump the water from the project are likely to be put in the public domain by the Ministers.
Instructions have also been issued to the Irrigation department to ensure the participation of officials involved in the Kaleshwaram project, construction agencies, contractors and sub-contractors for clarification. The Ministers would also review the issues related to Sundilla and Annaram barrages, which are the components of the Kaleshwaram project.
The government wants to make it a transparent affair taking the media for the barrages’ visit, which the previous government always shied away from. Numerous instances of house arrests of MLAs and leaders of the opposition parties wanting to visit the project were witnessed. Police prevented political parties from visiting the site when the massive pumps were submerged due to floods causing huge damage the pumping system.
