Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 20 (ANI): Justice PC Ghosh Commission on Tuesday issued summons to former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), former Minister Harish Rao, and BJP MP Etela Rajender, who also served as a minister during the BRS regime in the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), according to sources.

The Commission, which has been probing financial and procedural lapses in the multi-crore irrigation project, directed the three political leaders to appear for questioning in the first week of June.

As per the sources, KCR was asked to appear before the Commission on June 5, followed by Harish Rao on June 6, and Etela Rajender on June 9.

The questioning is expected to focus on their respective roles and decisions taken during the execution of the Kaleshwaram project.

Meawhile, on April 30, Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has held the previous BRS government squarely responsible for the collapse of the Kaleshwaram project, calling it the biggest man-made disaster since Independence and the most expensive engineering failure caused by any state government in India.

He stated that Telangana is currently paying Rs16,000 crore annually in interest and instalments on high-cost loans borrowed during the BRS regime for this 'faulty' project, thereby placing an enormous burden on the state's finances and its farmers.

Releasing the final report of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) at the Secretariat, the Minister said the findings confirmed the structural collapse of all three barrages...Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla and exposed the inefficiency, negligence, and deliberate mismanagement of the previous regime under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.

Reddy alleged that the Kaleshwaram project was not based on scientific principles but on a campaign of lies, propaganda, and false publicity.

He reminded the public that the original plan was the Dr BR Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella Project at Tummadihatti, for which even the then TRS government had sought national project status.

Uttam Kumar Reddy added, 'The Kaleshwaram collapse is not a natural tragedy. It is a direct result of the BRS government's irresponsible decisions. It has dealt a serious blow to Telangana's finances and the lives of farmers. Telangana is paying Rs 16,000 crore every year just in loan repayments for this failed project. This is public money lost due to a political stunt.'

The Minister said it was 'outrageous and shameful' that KCR, instead of accepting responsibility, is now attacking the credibility of the NDSA and questioning its authority.

'This is a huge injustice to Telangana. It has deeply hurt the sentiments of our people and destroyed the credibility of our state in the eyes of the country. When we recently approached the Ministry of Jal Shakti seeking clearance for the Sitaramasagar project, the officials refused to consider it because our irrigation system had collapsed,' he added.

He also refuted the falsehoods surrounding the original Pranahita-Chevella project. 'They said there was no water there, but that was a lie. The project cost was escalated, and public money was wasted. Over Rs1.81 lakh crore was shown as irrigation expenditure, all pushed through post-facto approvals,' he said.

He added that despite the collapse of Kaleshwaram, Telangana achieved record paddy production in the Yasangi season under the Congress government, proving that good governance, not faulty engineering, ensured success.

The NDSA report recommended urgent stabilisation, repair, and rehabilitation of the damaged structures, and the Minister stressed the need for expert-driven technical intervention.

He assured that the Congress government would take every necessary step. 'All decisions will be taken after Cabinet discussion. Action will follow as per the law. Those who gave the orders that led to this disaster will be held accountable,' he said.

He also announced a public awareness campaign to educate citizens on how the BRS regime betrayed Telangana.

'Technical institutions like WALAMTARI, which once trained irrigation engineers, must be urgently strengthened. We are working on a scientific plan, with expert inputs and no political interference,' he said.

Advisor Adityanath Das is currently reviewing the feasibility of reviving the original Tummadihatti-based Pranahita-Chevella project. (ANI)