PIL filed by congress leader seeking CBI enquiry into Kaleswaram project
Hyderabad: Senior Telangana Congress leader G. Niranjan on Friday filed a PIL before the Telangana High Court seeking a direction to transfer the criminal case filed regarding the sinking of pillars of the Lakshmi barrage of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme at Mediggada to the CBI for thorough investigation. The criminal case (FIR 174/2023) was registered at the Mahadevapur police station of Bhupalpally district on October 22.
He requested the court to direct the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to conduct an investigation in the activities of Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project Corporation Ltd, which had borrowed '86,064.01 crore from public sector banks and financial institutions.
Niranjan, who is senior vice-president of the TPCC and chairman of the party’s election coordination committee, also requested the court to direct the Union ministry of Jal Shakti, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), the National Disaster Management Authority to take action on his complaints against the alleged fraud in the construction of the KLIS.
He said in the PIL that the NDSA had also faulted the quality and design of the Medigadda barrage, after its inspection following the sinking of pillars. No action was initiated yet, he said and asked the High Court to direct the registration of a criminal case as per Section 41 (b) of Chapter X of the Dam Safety Act 2021.
He said major damage occurred to the Medigadda barrage as some of pillars sank into the sand due to the failure of the then state government. He noted that a six-member NDSA committee led by member (disaster & resilience), had conducted field inspections at the site between October 23 and 25.
He said that the committee in its report had said that the barrage under the present condition was useless until fully rehabilitated. The committee said there appear to be many areas where compliance with DSA 2021 provisions were found missing, according to Niranjan.
“This is a serious matter as the barrage has a high risk potential for life and the economy,” The PIL said. Niranjan said that according to the NDSA report, the dam owners had not inspected or maintained the cement concrete blocks or launching aprons since the commissioning of the barrage in 2019-20.
