Ghose panel probe nears end, report likely in May

Hyderabad: Nearly a year after the Justice PC Ghose commission began its probe into the sinking of piers in block 7 of the Medigadda barrage, the probe is expected to conclude by the end of this month, with the report slated for submission next month.
The state govt extended the one-man commission's deadline once again for a month at the request of Justice PC Ghose.
Established in March last year, the commission was tasked with investigating the sinking of piers in block 7 of the Medigadda barrage, as well as quality and cost concerns surrounding two other barrages — Annaram and Sundilla — constructed under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS).
The inquiry officially commenced in May last year, following the Lok Sabha elections, and has faced multiple extensions for various reasons. Sources attribute the delay primarily to the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report.
While the NDSA submitted a preliminary report last year, its final findings are still awaited. The commission is also factoring in the final report from the state vigilance and enforcement (V&E) department, which was submitted last month, and it was sent to the commission.
The inquiry commission wants to take the findings of both NDSA and V&E into consideration while submitting the report, it is learnt.
In the last spell of its inquiry by the end of this month, the commission is likely to call former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former ministers since many of the irrigation officials, who were part of the Kaleshwaram project, informed the commission that they implemented the decisions of the govt and on the instructions of the then chief minister. There will be clarity on summoning KCR and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao in the next two weeks.