Ghose Commission blames KCR for being directly and vicariously accountable for irregularities in Kaleshwaram

Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose Commission has blamed former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao as ‘directly and vicariously’ accountable for the irregularities and the illegalities in planning, construction, completion, operation and maintenance of the three barrages Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla forming part of the much-hyped Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).

“His involvement and directions minutely… is the cause and result of irregularities and the cause of distress to these three barrages,” the Commission said in its 665-page report which was examined by the State Council of Ministers on Monday. The commission said it could be categorically held that there was rank irregularity from the stage of conceptualisation of Kaleshwaram project till the issuance of administrative approvals on March 1, 2016 for construction of the three barrages and ‘this is not the decision of the government, but of individuals’.

“The then Chief Minister (Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao) is pre-determined and bent upon to construct barrage at Medigadda at his free choice and the authorities associated with the decision making facilitated them,” Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

The Minister, through a power point presentation, explained the highlights of the concise report prepared by the officials committee comprising secretaries of Irrigation, Law and General Administration departments constituted to thoroughly examine Justice Ghose commission’s report. The commission he said was constituted to inquire into the negligence, irregularities and lacunae in Planning, Designing and Construction of Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla Barrages.

“Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao has mortgaged the people of Telangana borrowing high interest, low tenure funds from non banking financial institutions like the Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation,” he said. This was after the previous government spent ₹11,000 crore, 32% of the project cost of around ₹38,000 crore on the Pranahita Chevella Sujala Sravanti project which was re-engineered.

The commission had inquired into various facets of Kaleshwaram right from its conceptualisation and found that there were several lacunae in planning, design, construction and operation and maintenance of the project. It had considered reports submitted by the National Dam Safety Authority, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Vigilance & Enforcement and other agencies before finalising its report.

“The decision to shift the project site from Tummidihatti to Medigadda is not a Cabinet decision, but a decision of the individuals. The decision to shift the site does not appear to be sincere and honest,” he said adding the commission revealed that non-availability of water at Tummidihatti as claimed by Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao was not a correct and genuine reason.

He recalled how Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao claimed in the assembly that a team of retired engineers was constituted to study the project. But, the report which recommended against construction of the project at Medigadda and other sites had been deliberately suppressed by the then Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao and officials, including then Irrigation secretary S.K. Joshi. Moreover, the barrage construction at Medigadda did not receive the consent of the Cabinet which was illegal. “It is a sole individual decision of Mr. Rao and there was no formal decision of the government in this regard,” he said.

In addition, Mr. Rao ensured that the project works were commenced much before the formal detailed project report was prepared which was tantamount to violation of every guideline. The report of the judicial commission was marked with frequent mentions about revised estimates and of the cost escalations besides the project design where construction was permitted on permeable foundations. “There are several instances of construction defects and inadequate quality controls while Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao had directed impounding of water into the barrages at their peril. The government had also obtained completion certificates wrongfully,” he quoted the commission as saying and added that the Chief Minister, then Irrigation Minister, Finance Minister and several officials were made liable for the irregularities and illegalities in the Kaleshwaram project.

While the special purpose vehicle Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project Corporation Limited was collectively responsible for releasing money at its will, the executing agencies, L&T, Afcons, Navayuga ‘acted hand in glove’ with the project authorities. “They should be made liable for repairing the defects at their own cost the Commission recommended,” he said.