KLIS judicial probe also looking to problems at pumphouses

Hyderabad: The judicial inquiry into various aspects of the three barrages of the Kaleshwaram project will also be probing issues related to the three pump houses of the project as the events at the barrages and the pump houses — leakages and sinking at the barrages, and flooding of the pump houses — are linked.

The Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose led Commission of Inquiry into the Kaleshwaram barrages, had earlier said that it would also need to inquire into the flooding of the pump houses, and on Monday, Justice Ghose directed the agencies that built the Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati pump houses of the project to submit detailed affidavits before July 16.

On Monday, representatives of two companies that built two of the pump houses, and 14 engineers deposed before Justice Ghose and expressed their views, following which they were directed to submit detailed affidavits.

Meanwhile, the CAG on Monday submitted its report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme to the Commission, and it is learnt that a report of the experts committee which was set up to study the state of the barrages at Sundilla, Annaram, and Medigadda, also submitted its report to the Commission. It is also learnt that the Commission directed the state government to submit its affidavit on the barrages, and also sought a final report from the Vigilance and Enforcement Wing. Once all the affidavits and reports are studied, it is expected that the Commission will start issuing notices to individuals who it feels will be required to depose before it.