Action on Kaleshwaram project report only after Assembly debate: Telangana govt to HC

Hyderabad, Aug 22 (PTI) The Telangana government on Friday informed the High Court that it would take further action on the judicial commission’s report on the Kaleshwaram project only after a discussion in the state assembly.

During the hearing on a petition filed by former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former minister T Harish Rao seeking to quash the report, the High Court directed the state government to remove the report if it had been uploaded on any official website.

The court posted the matter for next hearing in five weeks after directing the government to file a detailed counter-affidavit within four weeks. The petitioners will then have one week to file replies, if any.

During hearing today, the petitioners’ counsel also sought a stay on any further action based on the report. But, the court did not grant immediate relief.

The commission, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice P C Ghose, submitted its report to the government on July 31, holding Chandrasekhar Rao accountable for alleged irregularities in the project’s construction and other aspects.

The court on August 21 asked Advocate General Sudarshan Reddy whether the government intended to take action based on the findings of the report before placing it on the floor of the House, and posted the matter to Friday.

The AG submitted that any further action on the report would be taken only after discussion on the floor of the assembly.

Observing that the petitioners appeared prejudiced due to the alleged leak of the report’s contents through a government press conference, the court said the report should not have been made public before being presented in the assembly for discussion.

Since the AG stated that further action would be taken only after the assembly discussion, the court said the petitioners’ apprehension that action would be taken prematurely appears misplaced.

The court also said no further interim directions would be passed, as the government has categorically stated that no action would be taken based on the report’s findings.

In its report, the commission also found fault with T Harish Rao, a nephew of KCR and the irrigation minister during the BRS regime. Challenging the report, KCR and Harish Rao approached the court.

The counsels also requested interim relief, asking the court to restrain the government from proceeding or acting on the report.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had earlier said the government would soon convene an assembly session to debate the report and decide the future course of action.

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, a multi-purpose initiative on the Godavari in Bhupalpally, saw barrage damage under the previous BRS regime, which became a key issue in the 2023 assembly elections. PTI SJR GDK SSK SJR SSK ROH