Tech Calls On Kaleshwaram Project Taken By Engineers, KCR told Panel: Sources

The self-declared architect of the world's biggest lift irrigation project Kaleshwaram, former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, has told the PC Ghose Commission of Inquiry that while he envisioned the project and gave overall approval, all technical decisions were taken by engineers, sources said.

KCR, as he is popularly known, is said to have told the one-man commission of former Supreme Court judge, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, that he would not like to be examined in public. So only Justice PC Ghose and Commission secretary Muralidhar were present when he answered questions put to him by the Commission.

Even as thousands of Bharat Rashtra Samithi workers and leaders stood outside to express support, KCR's convoy drove in at 11 am and he left at 1 pm. Nine leaders were given permission to accompany him inside. They included former irrigation minister Harish Rao, who faced questioning by the Commission on June 9, and had brief KCR, over the last two days.

Sources said 18 questions were posed to KCR and the entire process is said to have taken 50 minutes. He was reportedly asked who took the decision to build the project, to which the former Chief Minister reportedly said the political leadership did. He in fact said all decisions were taken by the cabinet and minutes of meetings were available for the same.

KCR was asked about who took the decision for redesigning and re-engineering of the barrages, also about changing the location, how much water should be stored and for how long, to all of which KCR is said to have answered that based on expert and technical reports, the engineers had taken the decisions. He is said to have mentioned that as many as 4,000 engineers had worked to make the project a reality.

The former Chief Minister reportedly mentioned recommendations of a PSU called WAPCOS, the Central Water Commission reports on availability of water at different points, repeated denial of permission by Maharashtra for locating the first barrage at Tummidi Hatti, forcing the shift to Medigadda and so on.

The former Chief Minister is also reported to have been asked about why a corporation was set up. He said it was done to raise financial resources and bring transparency.

KCR reportedly shared documents, including a booklet on "Kaleshwaram: the Lifeline of Telangana" -- a copy of GO45 on allocation of responsibilities and an operations and maintenance manual.

The BRS has maintained that the inquiry ordered into the planning, design, construction, quality control, execution, operations and management of Kaleshwaram, is politically motivated.

"There is no death, no breakdown. Only two of 300 pillars developed cracks and the government is reacting as though a major disaster happened in Telangana as though the entire project collapsed, whereas both the Congress and the NDSA have turned a blind eye to real disasters elsewhere," BRS working president KT Rama Rao told NDTV.

BRS MLC and KCR's daughter Kavitha had also said she would be at BRK Bhavan as support to KCR as he deposed before the commission. 
Though Ms Kavitha was seen in visuals at KCR's farmhouse this morning as he was leaving to appear before the Commission, she instead went to visit BRS leader Palle Rajeshwar who had an accidental fall and was admitted to hospital this morning.