Kaleshwaram Project Inquiry: Certification and Safety Failures Exposed in Medigadda Barrage Operations

Hyderabad: The Justice P C Ghose Commission resumed its inquiry into the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), focusing on the operational and maintenance failures in key structures such as the Medigadda barrage.

Operation and Maintenance ENC Nagender appeared before the Commission and faced a barrage of questions regarding lapses in following protocols during the construction and certification phases of the project.

Nagender revealed to the Commission that certification of the completion of the Medigadda barrage was not done as per the guidelines, raising concerns about the quality of the works executed under the supervision of the Ramagundam ENC. The Commission, in response, grilled Nagender on various aspects of the maintenance failures, including the leaks in the barrages and the instructions regarding water storage limits.

For nearly three hours, the Commission fired over 130 questions at Nagender, focusing on several critical points like: Why the Medigadda barrage was certified without adhering to required safety norms? … Who was responsible for the operations of the barrage gates during the flood season? Why were the gates not opened in time?

Did the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Department prepare any manuals, and if so, were they followed? Nagender admitted that certain safety regulations, including State and Central Dam Safety guidelines, were not strictly followed, particularly in the operations led by the Ramagundam ENC.

He acknowledged that prior to January 2021, the O&M Department lacked dedicated staff to monitor and manage operations effectively, leading to some of the issues faced today. The Commission also pressed Nagender on whether they followed the IS Code and CWC Manual guidelines, to which he conceded that these protocols were not entirely adhered to.

Despite forming an O&M team in 2021, no significant actions were taken by the Ramagundam ENC based on their reports. The inquiry further delved into whether verbal orders influenced crucial decisions on water storage in the barrages, a question Nagender affirmed, stating that certain actions were carried out based on informal instructions.

The inquiry continues to raise critical questions about the accountability of the agencies involved and the adherence to safety regulations in maintaining Telangana’s flagship irrigation project.