Telangana PCC president Revanth Reddy on Saturday demanded a thorough probe by a committee of experts from other states, into 'damage' to barrages of Kaleshwaram Lift irrigation project in the state.

Coming down hard on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his family on the issue, Reddy said Minister T Harish Rao, who held the irrigation portfolio between 2014 and 2018, and Rao should take the responsibility and stepdown, paving way for an impartial investigation.

“The central government has to constitute a committee with experts in irrigation, construction and quality control, from other states. All the pumps and lifts of the Kaleshwaram project have to be thoroughly and comprehensively examined and a report has to be submitted,” he told reporters.

After reports of “damage” to Medigadda Barrage, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) visited the site and found that the barrage has been severely compromised, rendering it useless unless fully rehabilitated.

In a letter to the Telangana Chief Secretary, NDSA member Sanjay Kumar Sibal said the barrage under the present condition is "rendered useless until fully rehabilitated".

Reddy sought to know why, even after this compliance report, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shkhawat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi “are going back” on ordering an inquiry into the whole episode.

He alleged that the BJP was taking protection money and supporting the BRS government’s corruption.

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