No operations or repairs carried out since 2019

Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy informed that the vigilance report has found that no operations and maintenance was carried out by either the agency or the department since 19 June, 2019 on Medigadda Barrage.

Prior to tabling of the ‘White Paper on Irrigation’, the Irrigation Minister in his Power Point presentation in the Assembly brought to the notice of members that the Irrigation and Command Area Development departments had not carried out the work as per the specified sequential manner.

After perusal of the measurement books and other connected records pertaining to block-7, it was observed that the raft and secant piles were not laid in a specified sequential manner.

Reading out from PPP, he said that many deviation approvals were issued, which were not supported by any inspection notes of the Higher Authorities.

“The barrage was inaugurated by then Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on June 19, 2019 and since then no operations or maintenance was carried out by either the concerned agency or the department. The coffer dam along with sheet piles formed during construction of the barrage was not removed prior to the barrage operations,” he explained.

Further, the Minister pointed out that the upstream and downstream overburden has not been trimmed to the specified levels as per the recommendations of 3D Model study.

“The Engineer-in-Chief, Ramagundam had issued a letter on November 11, 2020 declaring that the defect liability period effects from February 29, 2020 and recommended for release of bank guarantees to the agency even though the work is pending. This is wrong and disciplinary action was initiated against him,” added the Minister.