Hyderabad: Reiterating the demand to complete Polavaram project in the stipulated time, YSR Congress has said that Chandrababu Naidu has always keen on commercial agenda and was never serious on public interest and he was the one who had put spokes when YSR had taken up the project with the right interest.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Party MLA G Srikanth Reddy said, ‘ Chandrababu has converted the multipurpose Polavaram project into a contractors’ project for kickbacks and he lacked sincerity as it was he who took to legal recourse when former chief minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy had initiated the project and got the necessary clearances from the Centre.
Chandrababu took over the project from the Centre only to make money for him, his contractors and coterie and the interest of bringing water to Rayalaseema was never shown in any of the measures taken and when his bluff was called on the letter written by the Centre about the irregularities he has changed the tune.’
‘He and his irrigation minister Devinenei Uma Maheshwara Rao had boasted of completing the project by 2018 and when the going got tough they are retreating and trying to find a way out and shift the blame on others and float unconvincing theories like the Centre is not cooperating. TDP is a coalition partner and shares power with BJP at the Centre and has BJP in its cabinet in the State and the turnaround has no justification.
When the State has asked for the project, which was supposed to be completed by the Centre as per the State Reorganisation Act, what reason other than the kickbacks and escalation of estimates could vouch for the shift. When Centre has pointedly asked about the irregularities, the situation was being painted with a different colour. ‘People of Rayalaseema need water and the gravity should be provided by 2018 as promised,’ he said.
The irrigation minister told the assembly that the project would be completed by 2018 and asked the opposition to mark his words and now they have become silent and are searching ways to escape but people will not forgive them.
Chandrababu has been taking credit for all projects started by Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, some of which were completed to the extent of 95 % and for the remaining 5 % TDP government has jacked up the estimated cost to favour his coterie.
Even Polavaram was conceived and the clearances were brought by Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy who got the right and left canal works initiated while Chandrababu Naidu had moved the courts and instigated other state governments in stalling the works.
‘It is the same Chandrababu Naidu who told that this is his dream project and would be completing it by 2018 and took it over from the Centre to benefit his coterie and has donned the role of major contractor and negotiating with sub-contractors and converting the Polavaram into a contractors’ project.
We demand that the project be completed as promised by 2018, he said.
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