*Coalition has compromised on Polavaram*

Kakinada, October 8: Former minister Kurasala Kannababu accused the coalition government of compromising on the Polavaram project and misleading people by claiming that water had reached Anakapalli by gravity.

Speaking to the media in Kakinada on Thursday, Kannababu said an expert team was arriving to inspect the project. He noted that expert teams had previously identified shortcomings in the quality of the works on seven occasions.

He said reducing Polavaram’s height from 45.72 metres to 41.15 metres would have a serious impact on water storage and irrigation supply.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had remarked that Polavaram had become an ATM for Chandrababu. The developments surrounding the project have repeatedly reinforced that concern,” he said.

Kannababu alleged that the coalition government had made it routine for contractors to issue certificates for their own works. He described Chandrababu Naidu’s claim that water had reached Anakapalli by gravity as misleading.

He also accused Chandrababu Naidu of playing political games over delimitation and said the promise of 34 per cent reservation for BCs was another gimmick.