Escalating Kaleshwaram Project Cost Benefits KCR Family: Kodandaram

Hyderabad: Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) President Prof. Kodandaram criticized the Telangana government over the benefits of Kaleshwaram irrigation project. Speaking to media at the TJS party office here, Kodandaram said that the project costs have been astronomically increased, only to benefit the family ruling the state. According to engineers, changing the project design from Tummidihatti to Medigadda is a huge disadvantage to the state, he said. The project costs have been increased only to fill the pockets of the family through commissions, Kodandaram reiterated.

The TJS founder said that the government should call for an all-party open debate on the project, along with the analysis of international experts on the subject. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders will definitely go to jail if an investigation is carried out on the project work, he said.

"The TJS has sent out a detailed report on the Kaleshwaram irrigation project to the government. However, Irrigation Minister Harish Rao did not address a single issue that we have raised in the report," the former Telangana Joint Action Committee (T-JAC) leader remarked.

With minimal costs for lifts, the project could have been built using waters from Tummidihatti, he asserted. This way, the state government could have saved Rs 40,000 crores, he added.