Probe Check Dam Failures, Bandi Asks CM Revanth
The minister for state alleged that many check dams built during the previous BRS regime were failing due to commission-driven contracts and substandard execution
KARIMNAGAR: Union minister of state for home affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar has written an open letter to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, demanding an independent and comprehensive inquiry into alleged corruption and poor-quality construction of check dams across Telangana, particularly after the collapse of the Tanugula–Gumpula structure in Karimnagar.
The minister for state alleged that many check dams built during the previous BRS regime were failing due to commission-driven contracts and substandard execution. He questioned the status of the vigilance inquiry the Chief Minister had ordered earlier into these works.
Expressing serious concern over dams built on the Manair River in the erstwhile Karimnagar district, Bandi Sanjay cited the collapse of the Tanugula–Gumpula dam as evidence of “shoddy and unsafe construction”. He noted that the same structure had suffered damage during the 2021 floods due to design flaws and inferior material quality.
He further alleged that several contractors responsible for these works under the BRS are now associated with the Congress, accusing both parties of “playing a blame game” to divert public attention from the loss of public funds.
In his letter, he pointed out that the Chief Minister had ordered a vigilance probe in May into the construction of 57 check dams on the Manair River, for which contractors were paid `287 crore. However, he said the progress and findings of this investigation remain unknown.
Bandi Sanjay also alleged that negligence and the pursuit of commissions by both parties had harmed farmers, with illegal sand mining near water bodies causing the loss of fertile topsoil.
He urged the Revanth Reddy to immediately order an inquiry by an independent agency into the quality and collapse of all check dams. He demanded strict action against those responsible, including criminal cases against errant contractors and seizure of their assets to recover public money.
