Union Minister Bandi Sanjay writes to CM Revanth over collapsing check dams

Union Minister of State for Home, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, has raised serious concerns about the quality of check dams in Telangana. In a letter to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, he urged the state government to investigate the construction lapses and take strict action against those responsible. He specifically highlighted issues with check dams on the Maneru River in Karimnagar district.

Sanjay pointed out the recent collapse of the Thanugula-Gumpula check dam in Jammikunta Mandal, attributing it to poor-quality construction and structural defects. He also alleged that past commissions under the BRS government overlooked quality standards, resulting in weak structures. According to him, these poorly built dams are now failing, causing damage to farmland and farmers’ livelihoods.

Earlier, in May, the Telangana government ordered a vigilance inquiry into the construction of 57 check dams across Karimnagar, Sircilla, and Peddapalli districts, for which contractors were paid ₹287 crore. Bandi Sanjay questioned the status of this investigation, claiming that many of the contractors involved were linked to the Congress party.

He criticized both the Congress and BRS parties for blaming each other instead of addressing the root cause of the problem. He also blamed the previous BRS government for negligence and the current Congress government for failing to stop illegal sand mining, which, he claimed, has worsened the situation.

The minister demanded an independent and thorough investigation into the collapses and called for criminal cases against contractors responsible for substandard work. He suggested seizing their assets and using the funds to rebuild the damaged dams. Sanjay emphasized that such strict measures are necessary to ensure accountability in public works and restore public trust.