Probe panel seizes records

The Justice PC Ghose Commission has deepened its inquiry into the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, for which records related to works at various barrages, including Medigadda, have been seized.
The Commission, which resumed its investigation into the project, questioned engineers, including Assistant Executive Engineers (AEE) and Divisional Engineers (DE), on construction details and work execution.  Justice PC Ghose expressed his dissatisfaction with the responses provided by the engineers and instructed them to limit their answers to the questions posed.
Registers documenting work done on the field level were seized, and signatures from engineers were taken to verify their authenticity.  
The Commission found discrepancies, including missing quality control registers, particularly related to sagging pillars at Medigadda and other barrages.
Justice Ghose is understood to have specifically inquired whether work placement records were updated daily or
retrospectively. Engineers admitted that they had flagged damages as early as 2020 through letters to higher authorities and construction firms, but corrective measures appeared to have been delayed.  
As part of its ongoing probe, the Commission aims to interrogate other engineers and IAS officers involved in design changes and construction decisions for the project.  
The Commission emphasized accountability, stating that all relevant documentation must be provided without omissions. Justice Ghose underscored that only clear and factual answers would be accepted, signaling impatience with vague or evasive responses.