Kaleshwaram Project visit by Telangana ministers: claims versus reality

HYDERABAD: An enthusiastic entrepreneur Nayini Anurag Reddy has felt the visit by group of four ministers from Telangana Government — N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar — to Medigadda barrage has tried to project false impression among people.

He has taken a view that

This the claims of the group of four ministers that visited Medigadda project on Friday and “tried in vain” to prove that Kaleshwaram project was replete with large-scale corruption and the intended purpose was not served.

Anurag Reddy gave a point by point rebuttal in his thread posted on ‘X’ highlighting claim versus reality. How Congress is spreading venom on Kaleshwaram.

Claim: Minister Uttam Reddy says the Pranahita-Chevella project was viable & will be reconsidered by re-examining the proposal to construct the barrage at Tummidihatti.

Reality: Their own PPT clearly states that the Maharashtra Govt strictly wanted a lowering of the FRL & minimization of submergence, which means a tentative diversion of only 44 TMC is possible at FRL +148.00m instead of the envisaged 160 TMC at FRL +152.00m.

Despite being in govt at Delhi, Maharashtra, and United Andhra Pradesh the Congress Government in Andhra Pradesh failed to get approval from the neighboring Maharashtra & failed to even start any construction at Tummidihatti. “Andhra Pradesh Government should not proceed with unilaterally decided layouts and control levels as it may lead to unfruitful expenditure,” the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra wrote to the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in 2013.

The Congress Government failed to obtain consent from the neighboring state and initiate the actual project but succeeded in revising the costs. From Rs 17,875 crore to Rs 38,500 crore and finally Rs 40,300 crore in just three years.

Claim: Many times, all the Congress leaders, including the Chief Minister, have claimed that Kaleshwaram didn’t create any new ayacut.

Reality: Their own PPT reveals that Kaleshwaram has already created a new ayacut of 98,570 acres and stabilized the ayacut of 17,08,230 acres. It also explains the action plan for further new ayacut.

One needs to understand that the stabilization of 17,08,230 acres till date is already more than the original Ayacut Envisaged 16 lakh acres under the PCSS Project. There was no scope for stabilization under the old PCSS project. Under Kaleshwaram: Water is already provided to 17.08 lakh acres (Stabilisation) + 98,000 acres (New Ayacut) = 18 lakh plus acres. An action plan was all set to create a new Ayacut of 18.64 lakh acres in the coming years, making it a total of providing water to more than 36 lakh plus acres.

Claim: Until yesterday, all the Congress leaders claimed Rs 1,00,000 crore corruption in Kaleshwaram.

Reality: Even as per their own PPT, the total expenditure spent on the project is Rs 93,872 crore.

How can anyone claim corruption of Rs 1,00,000 crore, when the total expenditure is itself less than Rs one lakh crore? Moreover, when everything that is built is already visible. Doesn’t this explain the fake narrative of Congress?

Claim: Congress leaders continuously spoke about the no of TMCs of water lifted. They went on to claim that no significant water has been lifted yet.

Reality: Look at the below attached pictures, clearly mentioning the number of TMCs lifted ever since 2019 at various pump houses.

To further talk on the credibility of 'Congress Leaders' and their figures:

• What Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy says about the total cost doesn't match what is presented by officials on the PPT.

• What the PPT discusses about loans on the project doesn't match what was presented in the white paper in the assembly. Why the rush? To prove what?

It seems like they have chosen to target the project without knowing anything about it, merely following the directions of political strategists. If you spend some time to understand, you'll surely realize how vague and fake these Congress leaders have spoken and are speaking.