Hyderabad: The Congress government in Telangana has raised curtains for massive corruption in two major irrigation projects worth Rs 9,910 crore, according to BRS working president KT Rama Rao, who held Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for awarding these contracts to two companies in violation of the Office of Profit Act.
He also questioned him for lack of action against one of the contractors – Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), despite the departmental inquiry committee recommending for blacklisting the company, over the collapse of a retaining wall at Sunkisala project.
The projects in question include the Rs 4,350 crore Kodangal-Narayanpet Lift Irrigation Scheme (LIS) and a Rs 5,560 crore project to lift water from Mallanna Sagar to the Musi River for the Musi River rejuvenation. While the tenders of Kodangal-Narayanapet project was awarded to MEIL and Raghava Constructions owned by Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy‘s family.
Speaking to mediapersons at Telangana Bhavan on Wednesday, Rama Rao said the Kodangal-Narayanpet LIS, initially proposed by former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to benefit about two lakh acres in Narayanpet-Kodangal area, has been altered by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, reducing its ayacut and escalating costs.
Similarly, the Chief Minister altered the previous BRS government’s plans to lift water from Kondapochamma Sagar to Osman Sagar for Musi River rejuvenation and instead, opted to lift water Mallanna Sagar, resulting in increased expenditure. “The costs of both these projects have been increased by multi-fold, to benefit the Congress party,” he said.
The BRS working president also criticised the Congress for awarding contracts to Raghava Constructions owned by Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s family, calling it a blatant conflict of interest. He said it was also in violation of the Office of Profit Act, which would have serious repercussions. He said the State government is now planning to involve MEIL for Musi River rejuvenation project as well, for which they have already reached an understanding.
Rama Rao reminded that MEIL, previously criticised by Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and TPCC working president T Jagga Reddy, for alleged unethical practices, is now receiving fresh contracts under the same Congress government. He pointed to the Sunkisala project wall collapse in August, calling it criminal negligence of the company. He said despite the departmental inquiry committee recommending for blacklisting the company, the Chief Minister not only ignored it, but awarded these new contracts.
The former Minister questioned the silence of the BJP-led Union government and its State leaders over the State government’s decisions. He demanded that the BJP leaders ensure an investigation into the corruption of the Congress government in the State by involving the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax and Central Vigilance Commission etc, failing which would imply their collusion.
