Chief minister said a field-level visit and inspection of the Medigadda and Sundilla barrages and the pump houses needs to be conducted soon.
The Medigadda barrage. (Deepika Pasham/South First)
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday, 18 May, decided to hold consultations with the irrigation officials and also discuss in the state cabinet the future course of action with regard to the damaged structures of the Kaleshwaram project.
Revanth Reddy, who held a meeting with ministers and officials, enquired about the recommendations made by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) in the interim report on Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project and the measures needed to be taken, an official release said.
The NDSA has recently submitted an interim report on the repairs and temporary restoration of the damaged Medigadda and Sundilla barrages which are considered the most important structures in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme.
State Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy explained the recommendations made in the interim report to the chief minister and the ministers.
“The NDSA made it clear in 2019 that danger is lurking around the barrages and the risk factor is not ruled out even after the repairs and restoration measures are taken up at the damaged structures,” it said.
In view of the monsoon season beginning in a month, the chief minister said the measures to be taken in the meantime will have to be discussed in the Cabinet meeting, it said.
“The government will take a decision whether to repair the damaged structures or any alternative measures (to be considered) in consultation with the irrigation department,” it said.
The chief minister said these crucial issues could not be discussed in detail since the Cabinet meeting proposed to be conducted on Saturday had to be deferred as the requisite nod from the Election Commission, in view of the model code of conduct for Lok Sabha polls, was not received.
The chief minister said a field-level visit and inspection of the Medigadda and Sundilla barrages and the pump houses needs to be conducted soon.
The damage to the Medigadda barrage last year during the previous BRS regime was a major issue in the November 2024 Assembly polls, with the Congress and BJP attacking the BRS then.
The BRS says damage to the projects is not uncommon and that the government should see that the farmers continue to reap benefits from the project.
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
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