Hyderabad, Aug 31 (PTI) Justice (retired) Pinaki Ghose Commission, which submitted its report on irregularities in the construction of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana, suggested that it is for the state government to take action against former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao as per law.

The Commission’s report, tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Sunday, also recommended appropriate action against S K Joshi, then Principal Secretary, and Smita Sabharwal, then Additional Secretary to the CM, for committing irregularities and violating the Business Rules of the Government.

"While the then Minister for Irrigation gave instructions at random and the Minister for Finance & Planning conducted himself apathetically towards the finance and economic health of the State, it is the then Chief Minister who can be directly and also vicariously made accountable for the irregularities and illegalities in planning, construction, completion, operation and maintenance of the three barrages. However, it is for the Government to examine and take action against them, if any, in accordance with the law," the report said.

The Commission also said that then Finance Minister Eatala Rajender and Finance Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao conveniently remained oblivious to the manner of funding the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme.

It further suggested action against several engineers and officials for the alleged irregularities.

The Commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice P C Ghose, submitted its report to the government on July 31.

The Assembly took up a short discussion on the Commission’s report on Sunday.

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is a multi-purpose project on the Godavari River in Bhupalpally district. Damage to the barrages, built during the previous BRS regime, became a major issue in the 2023 Assembly election. PTI GDK SSK SSK KH

Accountability for project irregularities urged; government advised to consider legal action against former officials and engineers implicated. The Commission found irregularities across planning, construction, operation and maintenance of three barrages and recommended that the State government examine and, if warranted by law, take action against the then Chief Minister (directly and vicariously), senior secretariat officials, ministers whose conduct was criticised, the finance officials for funding oversight failures, and several engineers and other implicated officials.