Congress and Telangana Jana Samithi countered Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao’s charges of obstructing Kaleshwaram project.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy challenged Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao to make the Kaleshwaram tender documents public and stop mudslinging on Congress.
TJS president M. Kodandaram warned that whoever was responsible for the ill-conceived redesign of the Kaleshwaram project was bound to land in jail after TRS lost power.
Is it not true that works worth thousands of crores were assigned to selected contractors through a single tender? Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy asked and questioned why global tenders were not called for such a mega project.
In an informal chat with the media men along with Leader of Opposition in the Council Shabbir Ali, Mr. Reddy alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao was “the most corrupt CM in India”.
Blame-game
In reference to the remarks made by Mr. Harish Rao on Kaleshwaram at a media conference on Tuesday, he said the government was trying to hide the truth by engaging in political blame game.
“Unlike TRS leaders, we don’t indulge in cheap talk. Harish Rao’s language and tone is highly inferior in nature,” he charged.
Mr. Reddy also said that TRS Government was “lying” about availability of Godavari water throughout the year at Tummidi-Hatti and it went ahead with the construction against the recommendation made by expert committee. He said instead of taking various personalities to Kaleshwaram Project, the government should also take the visitors to Sircilla where Dalits were subjected to third degree torture in illegal police custody.
The TPCC chief also condemned the Chief Minister for his reported remarks against the judiciary. “Is it wrong for the poor, Dalits and STs, who were wrongfully stripped off their lands, to approach courts seeking justice? Are courts banned institutions?” he asked. “Courts should take suo moto action against KCR for his remarks against the judiciary,” he said.
Extra expenditure
Addressing a separate press conference here on Wednesday, Mr. Kodandaram said a comprehensive inquiry into the redesign was inevitable as it was aimed to benefit contractors and the family of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. By shifting the project site from Tummidi-Hatti where plenty of water of Pranahita was available to Medigadda, the government had achieved nothing and, on the other hand, incurred a huge financial burden of ₹ 40,000 crore. Mr. Kodandaram questioned the motive behind shifting the site as there were no connecting rivers between Tummidi-Hatti and Medigadda. River water experts had confirmed Tummidi-Hatti as the best option after studying water yield at the site on a 100 year scale. Even the Godavari water disputes tribunal had backed them.