P.C. Ghose panel chides KLIP engineers for giving premeditated answers

Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose Commission of Inquiry expresses anger at engineers for lack of transparency in Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project investigation.

HYDERABAD

The Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose Commission of Inquiry going into the aspects of planning, design, execution, quality control and operation and maintenance of the head works of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), following major damage occurred in one of the blocks of Medigadda Barrage in October last year, has expressed anger at the engineers for giving premeditated/preconceived answers/information.

The Commission resumed its inquiry here on Monday (November 25, 2024) following extension of its term by two more months, till the end of December, given by the State Government recently, by examining about 18 officials in the ranks of assistant executive, deputy executive, executive and chief engineers. Several engineers admitted before the Commission that some level of damage was noticed after the flood season in 2020 itself and the matter was taken to the notice of higher authorities and work/contract agencies through officials letters.

On being asked about the quality control inspection registers, the engineers who appeared before the Commission expressed ignorance about their whereabouts. They were also asked whether the quantum of work executed was recorded on daily basis or any particular intervals. As the engineers fumbled on these aspect too, the Commission expressed anger at them and told them to share only the information sought for and not preconceived one or premeditated answers.

Signatures of the engineers deployed at Medigadda at the time of its construction were also secured by the Commission on the documents pertaining to caving-in of some piers and other damages including major cracks on the gates hoisting structures of Block-7 of Medigadda Barrage. The Commission has asked about 15 more engineers to appear before it for their examination on Tuesday (November 26, 2024).

Along with damages in the Medigadda Barrage, the Commission of Inquiry is also going into the lesser intensity damages identified in the other two Barrages of KLIP – Annaram and Sundilla. It is learnt that the Commission is planning to examine over 50 engineers of different ranks this time and later turn to officials at decision-making level such as secretaries, engineers-in-chief and also the elected representatives at the time of construction of the barrages.