Hyderabad: Former chief secretary Somesh Kumar and special secretary in the chief minister’s office (CMO) during the BRS regime, Smita Sabharwal, informed the Justice PC Ghose’s commission of inquiry, which is probing issues at Medigadda and two other barrages of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS), that they did not remember the decisions made during their tenure. The panel was irked by some of the replies of the officers.
The officers stated that they were unaware of the approvals for the project, as some were dealt at the level of the then irrigation minister and irrigation secretary. They also mentioned that some decisions, regarding the barrages and the Kaleshwaram project, might have been taken by the then CM and ministers, but they were not part of those meetings.
The Ghose commission summoned the two officers for cross-examination on Wednesday as both officers worked as in charge of the irrigation department for some time. Justice Ghose even asked Somesh Kumar to confine himself to only the Kaleshwaram and barrages issue and not to enter into an argument with the panel.
Somesh Kumar informed that he did not even remember the date of inauguration of the Medigadda barrage by then CM K Chandrasekhar Rao. The ex-CS was holding in charge of the irrigation department as principal secretary for four months when the Kaleshwaram project was formally inaugurated in June 2019.
On the questions pertaining to administrative sanction for the three barrages and costs, Smita Sabharwal said she was unaware of the matters raised in questions.
The officers stated that they were unaware of the approvals for the project, as some were dealt at the level of the then irrigation minister and irrigation secretary. They also mentioned that some decisions, regarding the barrages and the Kaleshwaram project, might have been taken by the then CM and ministers, but they were not part of those meetings.
The Ghose commission summoned the two officers for cross-examination on Wednesday as both officers worked as in charge of the irrigation department for some time. Justice Ghose even asked Somesh Kumar to confine himself to only the Kaleshwaram and barrages issue and not to enter into an argument with the panel.
Somesh Kumar informed that he did not even remember the date of inauguration of the Medigadda barrage by then CM K Chandrasekhar Rao. The ex-CS was holding in charge of the irrigation department as principal secretary for four months when the Kaleshwaram project was formally inaugurated in June 2019.
On the questions pertaining to administrative sanction for the three barrages and costs, Smita Sabharwal said she was unaware of the matters raised in questions.
