Kaleshwaram Probe: None Will Be Spared, Says Uttam Kumar Reddy

Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday declared that everyone who was responsible for taking decisions with respect to any aspect of the Kaleshwaram project barrages would face action as per the law. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government would act as per the Justice P.C. Ghose commission of inquiry on the barrages, while taking cognisance of the findings of the report by the Vigilance & Enforcement wing, and a CAG report on the barrages and the project.

In a blistering attack on the BRS, Uttam Kumar Reddy questioned the angry reactions of the opposition party to the notices sent to former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, and former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao to appear before the Ghose commission.

Speaking to reporters along with panchayat raj minister Danasari Anasyua Seethakka, he said, “the BRS is running a propaganda campaign. If they have confidence in the project, why don’t they appear before the commission and make their case?”

The commission, he said was “not a political tool. Even former prime minister Indira Gandhi appeared before a commission. If KCR and Harish Rao are clean, they should not fear a notice. But the moment the notices arrived, the BRS began issuing derogatory statements against the Congress government and the commission.”

On comments by BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao that there was possible sabotage at the Medigadda barrage, he said the BRS was heading the government when the structure sank. “A FIR was also filed. Why was this ‘bomb’ theory not followed through then? Why now? If the BRS has any evidence, it should be submitted to the commission,” he said.

“We have only initiated an inquiry. Once the report is received action will be taken based on the report’s recommendations against anyone found responsible for the decisions that led to the current state of affairs at the barrages,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.