Telangana ex-CM KCR summoned on June 5 over Kaleshwaram case
Justice P C Ghose Commission probing the alleged irregularities in the construction of barrages under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) on Godavari river, on Tuesday summoned Bharat Rashtra Samithi president and former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) for questioning on June 5, people familiar with the development said.
Justice Ghose, a former Supreme Court judge heading the judicial inquiry commission, directed KCR to appear on June 5 to present his version on the irregularities that allegedly took place in the construction of Kaleshwaram project.
An official of the state irrigation department privy to the matter said the commission also issued notices to senior BRS legislator and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao and former finance minister and present BJP MP Etela Rajender, asking them to appear for questioning on June 6 and June 9 respectively.
The official added that several senior engineers and officials deposed before the commission that key decisions related to the project were made in the presence of KCR, the then chief minister of Telangana, and were implemented under his directives.
'In the light of these statements, the commission now seeks to record the views of KCR, Harish Rao, and Rajender,' the official added.
The commission is examining the design, construction, and operational aspects of major barrages built as part of the KLIP — particularly Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla — following reports of structural issues. The Medigadda barrage, which reportedly showed signs of sinking during October 2023 floods, prompted the Telangana government to form the inquiry commission in March 2024.
The scope of the commission includes reviewing construction quality, design flaws, maintenance lapses, and accountability in financial and administrative oversight.
The commission already interrogated high-ranking officials from the irrigation and finance departments, as well as representatives of the construction companies involved in the project and has to submit a report by the end of May. It has so far been granted seven extensions, with the latest one extending its tenure by a month.
BRS leader and KCR's daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha said the notices to her father for questioning were 'part of a calculated political conspiracy to tarnish his image'.
Taking to X, Kavitha said: 'The notices to KCR Garu over the Kaleshwaram project are part of a calculated political conspiracy to tarnish the image of a true people's leader.'
She said Kaleshwaram was built for the welfare of farmers and future generations, not for politics. 'Today, this inefficient Congress government is undoing the very progress Telangana fought for. KCR garu has devoted his life to Telangana, transforming barren lands into fields of prosperity, and is now being targeted by a visionless regime,' she posted on X.
She added: 'No vindictive Govt can diminish his legacy. The truth will prevail, and history will remember who stood for the people and who tried to bring them down.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Serious threat to public health': Telangana HC upholds preventive detention of bootlegger
HYDERABAD: The Telangana high court upheld the state govt's decision to detain a habitual bootlegger under the PD Act, observing that the manufacture and sale of illicitly distilled liquor can have irreversible and dangerous consequences for society. A division bench comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice BR Madhusudhan Rao made these remarks while dismissing a petition filed by a Warangal woman challenging her husband's preventive detention. The bench said that the man's repeated involvement in bootlegging posed a serious threat to public health and safety, thereby warranting detention under section 2(A) of the PD Act, 1986. "His actions endangered the health of the public and created a sense of fear and insecurity," the court said in its judgment. The court further observed that the sale of spurious liquor goes beyond mere law and order concerns and directly undermines public health and societal stability. In arriving at its decision, the bench cited the Supreme Court's ruling in Pesala Nookaraju versus govt of AP (2023), which upheld preventive detention in similar cases involving habitual bootleggers.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Telangana cabinet to finalise reply to Ghose panel on KLIS and other key issues
HYDERABAD: The state cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday will deliberate on the information to be provided to the PC Ghose Commission, which has requested details of cabinet approvals by the previous govt for the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS). The commission, currently investigating the sinking of piers at Medigadda and the damage to the Annaram and Sundilla barrages under KLIS, has cross-examined former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former ministers T Harish Rao and Eatala Rajender. Following their depositions, the commission is understood to have written to the govt seeking further details. KCR , Harish Rao, and Eatala reportedly informed the commission that the project was undertaken with cabinet approval. However, Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, who served during the first term of the previous BRS govt, claimed that many decisions were made solely by KCR. "The chief minister's office has responded to the Ghose Commission stating that the requested information will be submitted by June 30. The matter will be discussed at the cabinet meeting on June 23," sources in the CMO said. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy has already stated that the cabinet will also consider the advantages and disadvantages of initiating discussions with Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu to find an amicable resolution to the inter-state river water sharing issue, including the contentious Banakacharla project, between the two Telugu-speaking states. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "The chief minister and ministers are also expected to discuss the panchayat elections, the law department's report regarding the submission of material to the court on fixing reservations in local bodies, implementation of the Rythu Bharosa scheme, the Indiramma housing scheme, and other key issues," sources added.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Bhu Bharati Act brings overhaul: Telangana sees 10 lakh grievances; 3.27 lakh registered online
HYDERABAD: Revenue minister Ponguleti SrinivasReddy on Saturday said the Congress govt is overhauling the revenue administration, which had deteriorated during the BRS's decade-long rule. He said that the Bhu Bharati Act, aimed at providing lasting solutions to long-pending land disputes in Telangana, is being implemented with seriousness and has already brought a positive shift in the system. At a review meeting with senior officials on the successful completion of revenue meets (sadassulu) across the state, the minister said over 10 lakh land-related applications were received across three phases. Between June 3 and 20, revenue meets were held in 10,239 villages across 561 mandals, during which eight lakh more applications were received. In all, 10,725 sadassulu were conducted in 593 mandals, with 8.58 lakh applications submitted. 'In the first phase, held from April 17 to 30, around 12,000 applications were submitted through 72 sadassulu across four mandals. In the second phase, which began on May 5, over 46,000 applications were collected through 414 meetings in 28 mandals. Over 60% of those issues have been resolved, excluding sadabainama cases,' he said. Sadabainama refers to a land transaction, where land ownership is recorded only on paper. Khammam district received the highest number of applications at 67,000, followed by Bhadradri Kothagudem (61,000), Warangal (54,000), Jayashankar Bhupalpally (48,000), and Nalgonda (42,000). The minister said free application forms were distributed a day prior in villages, and special teams were deployed under the supervision of tahsildars. So far, 3.27 lakh applications have been registered online, and officials have been instructed to expedite the remaining cases.
