Latest news with #Kaleshwaram
New Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telangana marks 11 years of statehood with pride
HYDERABAD : Asserting that other parties are doomed and have no future in Telangana, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu stated that the Congress is gaining strength in the state, with dedicated workers present in every village. He was speaking at the Telangana Formation Day event in Karimnagar on Monday. Sridhar criticised the BRS and BJP for politicising the notices issued by the PC Ghose commission set up to detect financial irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project and conspiring against the Congress. He described Congress as a party that represents all castes, calling it the 'people's party'. Grandeur at Parade Grounds Nizamabad celebrated Formation Day on a grand scale at the Police Parade Ground. Government departments in the district showcased their services through specially decorated vehicles. Police officers and staff who rendered meritorious service were presented with certificates of appreciation. In Kamareddy, the celebrations were held at the IDOC. Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Patel Ramesh Reddy attended the event. He stated that the government is committed to developing world-class infrastructure and delivering high-quality services to citizens.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Medigadda cracks: Vigilance panel indicts L&T, 30 irrigation officials; recommends action
1 2 Hyderabad: The Telangana Vigilance Commission (TVC) has recommended criminal and departmental action against construction giant L&T Precision Engineering and Systems (PES) and over 30 top irrigation officials—both serving and retired—for their alleged roles in the structural collapse of block 7 of the Medigadda barrage, which is part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS). The charges include corruption, criminal conspiracy, and gross dereliction of duty, with officials accused of blindly approving flawed designs and allowing substandard execution, resulting in massive public money loss. In a scathing report, the TVC called for stringent action under various legal provisions, including the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988, Dam Safety Act of 2021, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act of 1984. Criminal charges under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 336 (endangering life), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 418 (cheating), 423 (dishonest execution of documents), and 426 (mischief) have also been recommended. The commission held L&T PES squarely responsible for engineering failures that led to the collapse of the piers. It pointed out that the contractor falsely claimed completion of barrage works despite not fulfilling key requirements outlined in the supplemental agreement. "The agency reportedly deviated from its approved method for constructing secant piles, triggering a 'piping action' under the raft foundation—leading to cavities and the eventual sinking of block 7," the TVC said in its report. The commission also recommended recovery of the full cost of replacing the collapsed block from the contractor. Once touted as former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's flagship irrigation initiative and a symbol of Telangana's engineering ambition, the KLIS allegedly became a fodder for political parties in the run-up to 2023 assembly elections. Executed at a cost of over ₹1.2 lakh crore, the project has faced mounting criticism for inflated costs, rushed clearances, and structural failures. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy rode to power on a wave of public anger, promising a thorough probe into the Kaleshwaram project, which he branded as the "biggest irrigation scam in independent India. " Top officials under fire Seventeen senior irrigation officials were directly blamed for the collapse. Among them are C Muralidhar, former engineer-in-chief (ENC), who served for nearly eight years; Bhupathi Raju Nagendra Rao, ENC (operations and maintenance); T Srinivas, chief engineer, Central Designs Organisation (CDO); V Phanibhushan Sharma, director of works and accounts; Mohammed Ajmal Khan, deputy CE, ENC office; N Venkateshwarlu, retired ENC, Kaleshwaram project; Kotte Sudhakar Reddy, CE, Ramagundam circle (in-charge); engineers from Mahadevpur division, including B Venkata Ramana Reddy, Sardar Omkar Singh, and Ch Thirupathi Rao; B Venkateshwarlu, retired CE, quality control division; quality control engineers V Ajaya Kumar, PA Venkata Krishna, and M Raghu Ram; A Narender Reddy, retired ENC; and H Basavaraj of CDO. Seven retired senior officers—Muralidhar, N Venkateshwarlu, G Hari Hara Chary, B Venkateshwarlu, Ch Gangadhar, Ajaya Kumar, and Narender Reddy—will face inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act. In addition to the core group, 33 other engineers will face departmental penalties for various lapses in design, execution, and supervision. The report also targets principal secretaries and their subordinate staff in the irrigation department who served between 2015 and the time of the collapse in Oct 2023 and recommended action against them. It found that senior bureaucrats "blindly approved" critical project proposals without examining their technical merits, despite repeated red flags. The TVC has advised that disciplinary actions proceed simultaneously, even if police investigations or court proceedings are still underway. The commission's recommendations come even as the Justice (Retd) PC Ghose one-man Commission of Inquiry continues its probe into the irregularities. Unedited GFX TVC's other recommendations and lapses by L&T As per the agreement it was supposed to follow agreement conditions during the course of execution of works. To cross check the estimate provisions with respect to the agreement conditions such as dewatering clause. The chief engineer of Medigadda barrage violated the provisions of various GOs, which was issued for approving deviations up to 15% over the above the original administrative approvals under intimation to the govt. But the CE failed to intimate the govt.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Eatala Rajender is a ‘confused and opportunistic' politician: Congress MP
Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy launched a scathing attack on BJP leader and Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender, calling his political journey 'confused and opportunistic'. Addressing a press conference, he said Mr. Rajender has come out of the BRS physically although his heart and mind continues to be with the BRS. Even the BJP leaders were confused given his incoherent political stance that was revealed when notices were served to him by the Judicial Commission on the Kaleshwaram project. Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy questioned Mr. Rajender's remarks about PCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, who rose through the ranks from NSUI to become the PCC president. 'Mr. Goud's journey is one of commitment while your political journey is full of flip-flops,' he said. He alleged that Mr. Rajender is a 'Reddy' inside his house but turns into a 'OBC' when he steps out of his house. Targeting BRS leader T. Harish Rao, the Congress MP rejected the allegations levelled by Mr. Rao over Miss England leaving the Miss World beauty pageant midway. 'If Mr. Harish Rao has any video evidence, he should reveal it rather than discredit the government with baseless allegations,' he added. He termed laughable Mr Harish Rao's claims that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was reviewing with officials only from the Command Control Centre as the Secretariat was named after Dr. Ambedkar. 'Revanth Reddy can review progress from anywhere, even from Mulugu forest,' he said. The Congress MP also took a dig at BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao's claims that KCR would return as the CM. 'By spending black money in the USA, your father will not return to power,' he said.
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Kaleshwaram project: KCR to appear before Ghose Commission on June 11
Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President and former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will appear before Justice PC Ghose Commission, probing irregularities in the execution of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project, on June 11. KCR, as Chandrasekhar Rao is popularly known, was asked to appear on June 5, but on his request, the Commission changed the date. The Commission on May 20 had issued notices to KCR, former minister T. Harish Rao and BJP MP Eatala Rajender. BRS leader Harish Rao has been summoned on June 6. Rajender has been directed to appear before the Commission on June 9. When KCR was the Chief Minister, Harish Rao was the Irrigation Minister, while Rajender was the Finance Minister. The Commission, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose, is probing the alleged irregularities in planning, design, construction, quality control, operation and maintenance of Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla Barrages of the Kaleshwaram project. The one-man Commission was constituted in March 2024, a few months after some piers of the Medigadda Barrage caved in. The term of the Commission has been extended repeatedly for seven times so far after its initial term ended on June 30, 2024. Notices to KCR, Harish Rao and Rajender were issued a day after the state government extended the Commission's term for two more months, till July 31, to enable it to complete the examination of all those involved. The Commission has so far examined over 100 engineers, retired and serving officials associated with the barrages and others. Most of the engineers who were examined by the Commission either admitted to lapses in the procedures or expressed ignorance about decision-making. The Commission examined various documents, including the final report of the National Dam Safety Authority, the Vigilance report and other files. The panel was expected to submit its report to the government on May 21 or 22. However, the Commission decided to examine KCR, Harish Rao and Rajender as most of the engineers and officials who deposed before it stated that the decisions were taken in the presence of the then Chief Minister and that they acted on the Chief Minister's and ministers' orders. The BRS alleged that the notice to KCR is an attempt by the Congress government to cover up its corruption and failures.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
KCR Family Differences Cast Long Shadow On Telangana Foundation Day
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. June 2 marks Telangana Formation Day, but this year, K Chandrasekhar Rao is absent from the celebrations as party leaders prepare for a probe into the Kaleshwaram project. Protests against the inquiry are planned. Hyderabad: June 2 is a red-letter day in the history of India's youngest state -- the day has been observed as Telangana Formation Day for over a decade. Yet this year, no one from the state's first family - the family of K Chandrasekhar Rao who spearheaded the statehood movement -- will be at the party celebrations in Hyderabad to mark the occasion. K Kavitha, daughter of the former Chief Minister, who has been in an openly rebellious mood, will hoist a Telangana Jagruti flag and the national flag in the morning. The function will take place at the newly opened office of what has so far been called the cultural wing of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. The party's working president and Ms Kavitha's brother KT Rama Rao is away on a tour to the UK and US. He is expected to participate in the party's silver jubilee celebrations in Dallas, organised by its NRI wing. There has been no news of party president, K Chandrasekhar Rao, participating in any public event. At the party headquarters, BRS leader Madhusudana Chary is expected to hoist the flag. Reports said Harish Rao -- the former irrigation minister and nephew of Mr Rao, will give a powerpoint presentation on the Kaleshwaram project. On June 5, the former Chief Minister is expected to appear before the PC Ghosh committee that is probing the alleged irregularities in the planning, execution and operation of the Kaleshwaram project. Harish Rao has been summoned to appear before the committee the next day. Ms Kavitha has been sharply critical that the BRS has not planned any protest against the former Chief Minister being summoned by the probe panel. She has announced that Telangana Jagruti will hold a protest on June 4 and vowed that they will not allow any insult to the BRS president, claiming that the BRS and Telangana Jagruti are like the two eyes of KCR. Both Madhusudana Chary and Harish Rao have criticised the Congress for allegedly "spreading canards" about the BRS. Harish Rao has denied the allegation made by Telangana Pradesh Congress chief Mahesh Goud that he had met BJP MP Etala Rajender, who, incidentally, was earlier with the BRS and has also been summoned to appear before the PC Ghosh committee on June 9.
