Confusion over Medigadda barrage completion date deepens in ongoing probe

ENC (General) in the head office of the Irrigation department has sought an explanation on the issue of the completion certificate by the Executive Engineer and Superintending Engineer concerned.

hyderabad

Confusion over the date of completion of the Medigadda barrage of Kaleshwaram project, which came to light in the ongoing Vigilance and Enforcement inquiry into the damage of the barrage as different dates were mentioned in separate documents, has been complicated further with the head of Irrigation department seeking an explanation from field offices.

In a letter addressed to the Engineer-in-Chief at Ramagudam, ENC (General) in the head office of the Irrigation department sought an explanation on the issue of the completion certificate by the Executive Engineer (EE) and Superintending Engineer (SE) concerned to the executing agency without completion of works in all respects.

Citing reports published about the ongoing V&E probe in newspapers recently, the ENC (General) wrote that the ENC Ramagundam had informed the head office (ENC-General) on November 11, 2020, that the agency had completed all the work including additional components for the successful operation of the barrage and that the defect liability period had commenced from February 29, 2020, seeking the release of bank guarantees furnished by the agency.

The ENC (General) pointed out that the Executive Engineer (Irrigation Division No.1) had issued notice to the agency on the balance work components through a letter on February 17, 2021, on the other hand. Contrary to the notice served by EE (ID-1), the other EE and SE had issued a Completion Certificate to the agency stating that the agency had completed execution, inauguration and commissioning of the barrage as per the scope of the agreement on March 15, 2021.

The EE and SE had also stated in the certificate that the work entrusted was done physically and financially and was also recorded in the measurement books. The ENC (General) asked ENC Ramagundam to give an explanation on the inconsistencies and issuing a completion certificate, in spite of pending completion of some works and fix the responsibility for the lapses in misguiding the head office.