Alleging manipulations in the tender process of ₹24,000 crore called for during the lockdown period in Kaleshwaram project including Dummugudem Lift Irrigation project, the Congress demanded that the tenders be cancelled and government go for global tenders.
The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and Nalgonda MP, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was directly involved in it, ensuring that the contract goes to his relatives and friends.
“The tender was called and closed during the lockdown period and the cost estimates have been boosted by 30 to 40 % at the cost of public exchequer,” he alleged while addressing senior Congress leaders through a video conference here on Tuesday. He said May 12 (Tuesday) was the last date for submitting bids for Dummugudem project and the ₹ 3,000 crore tender has been already finalised and claimed that it would be awarded to L&T when the bid opens on Wednesday. “If this is not manipulated then how would we learn who is bidding and who is getting the L1 price,” he asked.
The TPCC chief also claimed that the Chief Minister had remained silent on the works taken by Andhra Pradesh government for the last six months to draw additional 4 TMC of water from Pothireddypadu.
“KCR government is spending about ₹ 1 lakh crore to get 2 TMC water through lift irrigation. Besides capital, the government will have to spend another ₹ 10,000 crore on electricity, maintenance and manpower. However, the Srisailam water, which is supposed to come to us by gravity, is being taken away by AP government and KCR has hardly made any noise till yesterday,” he said.
Congress leaders who participated in the conference including CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, MLAs Jagga Reddy, D. Sreedhar Babu, MP A. Revanth Reddy, Marri Shashidhar Reddy, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Nagam Janardhan Reddy, V. Hanmanth Rao, former Ministers and others alleged ‘collusion’ of KCR and AP Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy and said this nexus should be exposed politically and legally.
Mr. Vikramarka said Telangana has lost rights on Shabari water due to KCR’s silence earlier and now Pothireddypadu issue is raising questions on his integrity. It is impossible to believe KCR was not aware of the AP government’s intentions.
Mr. Ponnala said KCR failed to utilise the Krishna waters though the Congress party had constructed all the projects on Krishna before 2014. Mr. Nagam and Mr. Shashidhar Reddy said AP’s plans on Pothireddypadu will destroy the irrigation in entire Krishna basin and deprive Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Khammam and other districts of their due share in water.
Mr. Revanth Reddy suggested the party fight this injustice politically by exposing the silence of KCR and legally by moving the courts or else the very purpose of formation of Telangana would be defeated.
