NDSA team begins Medigadda probe; TS Govt seeks interim report early

HYDERABAD: The Government of Telangana is seeking an interim report from the National Dam Safety Authority's (NDSA) Expert Committee on the damage caused to the Medigadda barrage of the Kaleshwaram project.

Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy met with the Expert Committee's Chairman J Chandrashekhar Iyer and other members to discuss the issue. During the meeting, the Minister gave a detailed presentation about the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages and explained the issue of pillars sagging in Medigadda on October 21, 2023.

The committee has been given a four-month deadline to submit the report. However, the State Government requested an interim report as soon as possible. The government assured the committee of full cooperation in restoring the collapsed pillars of Medigadda. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that officials at all levels had been directed to provide all documents and information requested by the NDSA committee. He warned of strict action against anyone who did not cooperate with the NDSA committee and hid documents.

The NDSA team is expected to give reasons for the damage to the barrage and what steps should be taken before the arrival of the rainy season. The committee will visit the Medigadda barrage on Thursday morning and then the Annaram barrage. After the night halt at Ramagundam, it will visit the Sundilla Barrage on March 8.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the State Government had suggested using the most advanced technology for the tests. He said it would be good for the state government to repair the damages and put the barrages back into use. He reiterated that action would be taken against the construction company L&T if the NDSA committee identified any lapses on its part. He said that the construction company should be held accountable for the damages, and it must take care of its repairs.

The Irrigation Minister also announced that steps were being taken to initiate a judicial inquiry into the Kaleshwaram project. Speaking to the media later, he dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism of the Congress Government regarding the probe into the Kaleshwaram project scam. He asked why the BJP Government did not order any enquiry into the irregularities in the construction of the Kaleshwaram project and instead arranged thousands of crores of loans without proper DPRs and approvals. He said the Congress Government ordered a Vigilance Enquired without a few days after assuming power.