CPM Demands Urgent Visit by CM to Joorala Project Amid Safety Concerns Over Dam Gate Repairs
During his visit to the project site on Friday, John Wesley inspected the damaged ropes of the crest gates and interacted with project officials to understand the situation. Addressing the media at the site, he accused local leaders and authorities of gross negligence in the maintenance of the project—an essential irrigation source for nearly one lakh acres in the Palamuru region.
> 'Despite the alarming condition of eight broken gate ropes, the Chief Minister has remained silent. He must visit the project, review with officials, and reveal the actual status to the public,' he stated.
Wesley criticized the administration for not replacing the ropes every 4–5 years as required and said they had not even applied grease for years. He alleged that officials and contractors were involved in corruption related to maintenance and repairs.
He further warned that continued negligence might endanger the entire project. Though the government issued orders for constructing a bridge to ease vehicle movement, he demanded immediate fund release and commencement of works. He noted that unrestricted vehicle traffic on the project could threaten its structural safety.
Wesley also questioned the presence of only one gantry crane for closing gates during floods, warning of disaster in case of a major flood. He condemned the lack of proper maintenance of the crane track and poor upkeep at the spillway site.
Key Demands Raised by CPM:
Immediate visit by the Chief Minister to the Joorala Project.
Urgent repairs of crest gates and rope replacements.
Transparent review and public disclosure of the project's actual condition.
Immediate commencement of bridge construction to stop vehicle traffic over the dam.
Judicial inquiry into alleged corruption in maintenance contracts.
AIKS Vice-President Mallareddy Raises Funding Concerns
Sarampalli Mallareddy, Vice-President of All India Kisan Sabha, also addressed the gathering and stated that despite the Joorala Project being a multi-purpose lifeline for lakhs of acres, the government only allocated ₹17 crores in the previous budget—none of which has been spent. The same amount was again allocated this year without any action.
He condemned the continued vehicular movement on the dam, highlighting it as a threat to the project's integrity. Though the government issued orders for a ₹122 crore bridge, similar past orders were not executed. He demanded immediate tendering and work initiation. Mallareddy also urged the government to allocate ₹2,500 crores for the completion of all pending irrigation projects in the Palamuru region, which still suffers from underdevelopment and mass labor migration.
Local Leaders Criticize Mismanagement
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 the transfer of the Chief Engineer's office from Gadwal and blamed the lack of coordination between irrigation and road-building departments for uncontrolled vehicle movement on the dam.
> 'The failures of the rulers have become curses for the farmers,' he said, expressing concern over the project's safety.
CPM Leaders Present at the Protest:
R. Sriram Naik – CPM State Leader
A. Venkataswamy – Gadwal District Secretary
Putta Anjaneyulu – Wanaparthy District Secretary
Leaders: 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
Numerous party workers from Gadwal and Wanaparthy districts.
The CPM concluded the visit with slogans and protests, demanding urgent attention from the government to safeguard the future of the Joorala project and the lakhs of farmers who depend on it.
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