-Inefficient regime damaged farmers’ prospects: Devineni
-Govt’s failure got exposed in Assembly itself
AMARAVATI: TDP former Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao on Thursday expressed concern that the YSRCP Government was bent on undermining the multi-purpose Polavaram irrigation project with total disregard for the farmers’ interests.
Devineni Uma said the latest statement of Irrigation Minister Anil Kumar in the Assembly had only exposed the inefficiency of the Jagan Reddy Government. The Minister was now talking about the requirement of three more years to complete the dam works.
Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader recalled how the YCP Government had damaged Polavaram with reverse tenders in the past three years. The Minister was literally sleeping without taking timely measures to save the diaphragm wall which was damaged in the 20 lakh cusecs flood. No efforts were made to save this despite cautionary signals given by the officials concerned.
Devineni Uma said CM Jagan Reddy’s inexperienced leadership was totally responsible for the stalemate in Polavaram project execution. The Chief Minister was so afraid that he avoided speaking to the media on Polavaram during the recent visit of the Union Jal Shakti Minister to the dam. During the TDP rule, Chandrababu Naidu along with the then Union Minister told the media at that time about the progress of works.
The TDP leader deplored that lakhs of farmers would be badly hit if the Jagan regime went ahead with its plans to construct a Rs. 913 Cr lift irrigation system at Polavaram. The ruling party was launching the foundation works for this. The YCP regime should realise its mistake and it should not take any steps harmful to the farmers. Polavaram should be constructed to its full capacity of 194 TMC.
Devineni Uma said the previous TDP regime completed 71 percent works with commitment to the farmers’ cause. Chandrababu Naidu visited the project site for over 30 times and every Monday was allotted for reviewing Polavaram works. On its part, the Jagan regime went for retendering and caused inordinate delay and deadlock in works.
The TDP leader termed it as objectionable that Minister Anil Kumar was now saying the diaphragm repair works would be completed by June, 2023. Then, the works on earth and rock fill dam would take two seasons. Going by all this, the Jagan Mohan Reddy Government had thrown up its hands in helplessness on Polavaram. They were not even making any efforts for financial clearance for Rs. 55,548 Cr project cost for which technical approvals were given during the TDP regime itself.
