Naidu blames CM for Polavaram project delay

Hyderabad

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday blamed on Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for the inordinate delay in the completion of Polavaram major irrigation project on Godavari river, which he said was the lifeline of the state.

Amid tight security and restrictions, Naidu visited the Polavaram project for the first time in the last four years. The police, who allowed only a small batch of TDP leaders led by Naidu, arrested several leaders who tried to accompany their party president at Polavaram village in West Godavari district.

Naidu walked along the 1.8 km-long dam and inspected the project works, including the recently damaged guide bund. The visit to Polavaram was part of his ‘Yudha Bheri’ programme, a war against the state government’s alleged negligence towards the ongoing irrigation projects in the state.

Later, Naidu made a power-point presentation on the prevailing condition of the irrigation projects in West Godavari district to the party leaders and reporters.

Speaking to reporters, Naidu alleged that the Polavaram project had got delayed due to the vengeful attitude of the state government towards previous contractors engaged during the TDP regime. He pointed out that the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) had found fault with the reverse tendering decision of the present government to appoint a new contractor.

“On August 13, 2019, the PPA said that there was no need to replace the existing contractor who was doing an excellent job. It also pointed out how the head-works had come to a standstill due to replacement of the contractor,” he said.

He said the project works has been facing several issues only due to Jagan’s adamant attitude in changing the contractor without heeding to the advice of the PPA. “Now, people should know the facts about Polavaram and who is responsible for the present state of affairs,” he said.

Meanwhile, chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said the government would complete the Polavaram project as per the originally projected design, but in a phased manner. “In the first phase, the height of the water storage would be limited to 41.5 metres and the relief and rehabilitation package would be implemented for all villages and families keeping in mind the first phase contour levels of flood threat,” he said.

As the dam height goes up further during the second and third phases, more areas and families would come under the R&R package, he said.

While the Central government would give a compensation of ₹6.8 lakh per acre to each displaced family, the state government would add another ₹3.2 lakh. “We are putting pressure on the Centre to clear the R&R package at the earliest,” he said.