No explicit mention of corruption in Ghose Commission Report: V Prakash Rao
Irrigation expert V Prakash Rao said the Ghose Commission report on KLIS pointed to procedural and technical lapses but made no mention of corruption. He defended the project’s cost escalation as justified and asked Kavitha to prove her graft allegations
Hyderabad: Stating that there was no explicit mention of corruption or graft in the 665-page Justice PC Ghose Commission report, irrigation expert and former chairman of the Telangana Water Resources Development Corporation V Prakash Rao on Thursday asserted that the findings provide no basis for vilifying any individual.
In an exclusive interview to Telangana Today, he emphasised that the report highlights procedural, financial and technical lapses—such as K Chandrasekhar Rao’s decision to shift the project to Medigadda—but it did not mention corruption.
“Structural issues, like the sinking piers at Medigadda barrage, point to design and execution flaws, not financial misconduct. The report discussed lapses, not graft. The project’s benefits, with scope for irrigating up to 45 lakh acres and storing 141 TMC, are tangible,” Rao argued.
Having deposed before the commission multiple times, Rao said he had thoroughly studied the voluminous report and was surprised that his testimony and name were omitted. “I was among those who deposed, but my name did not figure. The commission took what it needed to justify its brief, prioritising the weeds instead of the fruits of the crop,” he said, suggesting selective use of evidence to fit a predetermined narrative.
He also called on Kalvakuntla Kavitha to clarify the basis for her claims against BRS leader T Harish Rao and substantiate her allegations of corruption in the implementation of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIS).
From Pranahita to Kaleshwaram
The KLIS originated as the Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi project in 2007 under the Jalayagnam scheme launched by then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy to irrigate 12.60 lakh acres at a cost of Rs 17,875 crore. The project’s scope was expanded to 16.40 lakh acres at the request of then Minister Sabita Indra Reddy to include her Chevella constituency. This addition increased the project cost to Rs 38,500 crore within a year due to an additional 3.8 lakh acres for Ranga Reddy district.
Under former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the project was re-engineered into the KLIS, targeting 37 lakh acres with potential to reach 45 lakh acres by integrating lift irrigation facilities, including the Chennur Lift Irrigation Scheme (1.45 lakh acres) and planned Sangameshwara and Basaveshwara schemes in Sangareddy district.
The storage capacity grew from 14 TMC to 141 TMC with 15 reservoirs such as Mallanna Sagar, Kondapochamma Sagar, Ranganayaka Sagar and Annapurna. The tunnel diameter was expanded to handle 1.8–2 TMC daily across 203 km, and pumping capacity increased from 40 MW to 139 MW units.
Cost escalation justified
Rao defended the cost escalation from Rs 38,500 crore to over Rs 80,000 crore, citing necessary enhancements. “The Central Water Commission mandated increased storage capacity to 141 TMC for approval,” he explained.
Land acquisition costs rose from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 11 lakh per acre under KCR’s farmer-focused Rehabilitation and Resettlement programme. Upgrades like larger tunnels, high-capacity pumps and new reservoirs justified the investment, with 18 per cent GST included in the revised estimate.
“Any Chief Minister would have escalated costs to Rs 80,000 crore for a project of this scale after a nine-year delay, even without such upgrades. Where is the corruption? Let Kavitha spell it out,” Rao challenged.
