Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday said the state govt is ready to handover Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages to the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) if BJP MP Eatala Rajender can convince the union jal shakti ministry and the NDSA that water can be lifted and stored into the three barrages by switching on the Kannepalli pump house of the Kaleshwaram project.“We could understand that the BRS has been carrying out a vicious campaign against the Congress govt on Kaleshwaram project rehabilitation plans to save their skin. But BJP MP Eatala Rajender, who served as finance minister in the previous BRS govt and was also questioned by PC Ghose Commission, has started singing the tune of BRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao by demanding that Kannepalli pump house can be switched on. Let Eatala along with the retired engineers committee meet NDSA and bring their experts here along with its chairperson. We will hand over the three barrages,” Revanth told a media conference.Taking a jibe at the retired engineers, the CM said, “The retired engineers are resorting to such a campaign only because they are freely moving as the state govt did not send them to jail for their involvement in Kaleshwaram project,” adding that KCR, KTR and T Harish Rao were behind this retired engineers committee.Revanth also demanded that Eatala Rajender should write a letter to Prime MInister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah to ensure that the CBI starts the investigation in the Kaleshwaram corruption allegations against the KCR, Harish Rao and others. It’s nearly 11 months since the state govt issued a G.O. seeking CBI inquiry into the Kaleshwaram scam. The G.O. No. 104 was issued on September 1, 2025, transferring this case to the CBI. An explanation must be provided as to why the investigation has not progressed, Revanth said.Giving a PowerPoint presentation on the location of the barrages, pump houses and its topography, the CM reiterated that the Congress govt will extend full cooperation to the NDSA if it agrees to to proceed with the water-lifting operations in the three barrages.Revanth Reddy ruled out lifting floodwaters from the Kannepalli pumphouse on the Kaleshwaram project as it would be disastrous for the three barrages — Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla, further damaging them. “The state govt is ready to rehabilitate the damaged 3 barrages on the recommendations of the NDSA and will do its best to restore them. BJP MP Eatala should lead a delegation to apprise the NDSA of the condition of the barrages for the release of water and also the union govt for the CBI to begin its probe into the multi crore Kaleshwaram project scam,” Revanth demanded.“A minimum of 4 to 5 tmcft water has to be stored for pumping, as water can’t be lifted when it is flowing and the storage option is closed as it would damage the entire barrage, as warned by the NDSA in its report,” he said.Explaining the technical points, Revanth claimed there was a clear distinction between the availability of river flow and the water level required for pumping operations. While the minimum pumping level required at the Kannepalli (Lakshmi) pumphouse is 93.5 metres, the present water level at Medigadda is only about 89.9 metres. Although the barrage bed level is 88.5 metres and the crest level is 89.5 metres, these levels are insufficient for pumping water through the Kannepalli pump house located around 18 kilometres away, he informed.“Similar conditions prevailed at Annaram and Sundilla barrages. Even if water were lifted from Kannepalli, it would eventually flow back towards Medigadda. Closing the gates to impound water was not permissible in view of the NDSA’s safety recommendations,” he said and accused the opposition BRS and BJP MP Eatala of misleading the public by demanding immediate lifting of floodwaters.
