: The Congress government on Friday set a deadline of ten days for completing the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA)’s recommended measures at the Sundilla, Annaram, and Medigadda barrages with irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy making it clear that not only must the works be completed in a week to a maximum of ten days, but every measure that Central authority had listed for each of the three barrages must be followed scrupulously by the contracting companies that built the barrages. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the work was progressing at different pace at the three barrages and warnings had been issued to Navayuga repairing Sundilla barrage, and Afcons doing the same at Annarm, has been told to speed up the repairs.
Addressing a press conference, he said with the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls ending on Thursday, he took the first opportunity to inspect the barrages to take stock of the situation, and review the progress of the interim flood protection measures recommended by the NDSA. “The previous government borrowed `94,000 crore at high interest rates for the Kaleshwaram project and it became clear in October last year after a part of Medigadda sank, and other two barrages springing leaks, that there were serious problems. The entire project has become useless as a result,” he said.
“Unlike the past BRS government, the Congress government will ensure that every rupee spent on irrigation will yield results and by finishing projects that are near.
