The Vice President of the Telangana Congress, G Niranjan, took a significant step by addressing a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, urging the initiation of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the reported impairment of the Medigadda barrage within the extensive Kaleswaram project.
In a formal communication delivered on a Friday, Niranjan articulated the dire need for a meticulous inquiry into the structural integrity of the Medigadda barrage, which is an integral component of the larger Kaleswaram project. The urgency of this request arose following disconcerting reports that structural flaws, manifested as cracks in the barrage's pillars, had emerged, potentially imperiling the stability and functionality of this crucial infrastructure.
In response to these worrisome developments, a team representing the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) was promptly dispatched to inspect the site. The team's findings cast a shadow of concern as they concluded that the Medigadda Barrage had suffered significant compromise, rendering it virtually nonfunctional unless subjected to a comprehensive rehabilitation effort.
Drawing upon the assessments and conclusions of the NDSA, the Congress party underscored a troubling pattern of lapses that raised alarming questions about the Medigadda barrage's construction and subsequent maintenance. Specifically, they highlighted what they perceived as a "lack of stringent quality control" during the construction phase and identified "maintenance deficiencies" as contributing factors that progressively undermined the structural integrity of the dam barrage.
Of particular concern was the revelation that two other barrages, Annaram and Sundilla, which were constructed upstream of Medigadda, shared design and construction methodologies that made them potentially susceptible to analogous failures. Indeed, there were already reports of water seepage detected at the Annaram barrage, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Furthermore, Niranjan accentuated the staggering financial investments tied to the Kaleswaram project, estimated to be in the vicinity of Rs 1,25,000 crore. Given the scale of this financial commitment, the Congress leader expressed serious reservations about the potential economic ramifications, especially in light of the colossal loans amounting to approximately Rs 80,000 crore procured from public sector banks, under the purview of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other central government lending agencies.
Moreover, Niranjan raised a disturbing prospect, asserting that not only was there a looming specter of substantial financial losses but there were also concerns about the safeguarding of critical records related to the project. He implied that officials from the state government, under the leadership of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, were susceptible to the temptation of concealing or tampering with records to obfuscate the extent of the situation.
The Congress party, therefore, called upon the central government to take proactive measures in overseeing the remediation efforts and fortifying the safety protocols of not only the Medigadda barrage but also the Annaram and Sundilla barrages. Their rationale was to mitigate potential human and property losses arising from the precarious situation at hand.
Furthermore, the previous day, on November 3, Congress Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi had conducted an on-site inspection of the Medigadda barrage, amplifying concerns by alleging that multiple pillars of the barrage exhibited structural vulnerabilities attributable to substandard construction practices. He leveled strong allegations against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his family, accusing them of exploiting the Kaleshwaram project as a means to unjustly enrich themselves at the expense of the public, thereby characterizing it as their "personal ATM." These allegations further underscored the urgency and gravity of the situation at hand.
