Gadwal: John Wesley, the Telangana State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), urged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to visit the Joorala Project. He wants the Chief Minister to conduct a review meeting with officials to uncover the real issues concerning the crest gates’ safety.
On Friday, John Wesley visited the project and examined the damaged ropes of the crest gates. He talked with project officials to grasp the situation. Speaking to the media, he blamed local leaders and authorities for neglecting the project, which is crucial for irrigating nearly one lakh acres in the Palamuru region.
“Eight gate ropes are damaged, yet the Chief Minister remains silent. He should inspect the project, discuss with officials, and inform the public about the situation,” Wesley insisted.
Wesley criticized the administration for failing to replace the ropes every 4–5 years and not applying grease for years. He accused officials and contractors of corruption in maintenance and repairs.
He warned that ignoring these issues might endanger the project. Although the government ordered a bridge to reduce vehicle traffic, Wesley demanded immediate funding and start of construction. He mentioned that unrestricted vehicle movement could threaten the dam’s safety.
Wesley also raised concerns about having only one gantry crane to close gates during floods, which could lead to disaster. He condemned the poor maintenance of the crane track and the spillway site.
CPM’s Key Demands:
- Chief Minister’s immediate visit to the Joorala Project.
- Rapid repair of crest gates and rope replacement.
- Transparent review and public disclosure of the project’s status.
- Immediate start of bridge construction to halt vehicle traffic on the dam.
- Judicial inquiry into alleged corruption in maintenance contracts.
AIKS Vice-President Mallareddy’s Concerns
Sarampalli Mallareddy, Vice-President of All India Kisan Sabha, also spoke, highlighting that despite the project’s importance for multiple purposes, the government allocated only ₹17 crores last year, none of which was spent. The same amount was allocated again this year without action.
He criticized ongoing vehicle movement on the dam as a threat. Although a ₹122 crore bridge was ordered, past orders were not fulfilled. Mallareddy called for immediate tendering and work commencement. He urged the government to allocate ₹2,500 crores for completing all pending irrigation projects in the Palamuru region, which suffers from underdevelopment and labor migration.
Local Leaders’ Criticism
A. Venkataswamy, CPM Gadwal District Secretary, criticized the government for reducing the project’s storage capacity from 18 TMC to 9 TMC due to inefficiency. He condemned the silence of ruling and opposition parties on relocating the Chief Engineer’s office from Gadwal. He blamed poor coordination between irrigation and road departments for uncontrolled vehicle movement on the dam.
“The rulers’ failures have become curses for the farmers,” he said, expressing concern over the project’s safety.
CPM Leaders at the Protest:
- R. Sriram Naik – CPM State Leader
- A. Venkataswamy – Gadwal District Secretary
- Putta Anjaneyulu – Wanaparthy District Secretary
Other leaders included Md. Jabbar, Md. Mahmood, Bal Reddy, Gopi, Upper Narasimha, Repalle Devadas, Paranjyoti, Eidanna, Manchala Narasimha, Venkataswamy, Ramakrishna, Gajendra, Veeresh, Pawan, Mekala Narasimhulu, Mosh, Vinay, Krishna, Anand, Venkataramayya, along with numerous party workers from Gadwal and Wanaparthy districts.
The CPM concluded the visit with slogans and protests, demanding urgent government action to protect the Joorala project’s future and the many farmers who rely on it.
