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The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today said that the multi-purpose Polavaram, Pattiseema lift irrigation and other irrigation projects would be completed in a time-bound manner getting over all the hurdles, including unjust opposition from political parties and vested interests.
The assurance was made in the AP Legislative Assembly, amidst heated debate, acrimonious scenes and adjournments with the Opposition YSR Congress leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy alleging favouritism in awarding contract and jacking up the tender price arbitrarily.
On the third day of debate on irrigation projects, particularly Polavaram and the Pattiseema projects, the House was witness to uproarious scenes with the treasury and opposition benches engaged in verbal duel leading to adjournment to restore order.
Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the Naidu Government of offering 21.91 per cent higher price than the benchmarked price for the Pattiseema project, whose contract was awarded to construction firm MEIL. He contended that the project was awarded in violation of rules as there is flexibility only for 5 per cent. The Government had agreed to allow 16.9 per cent as bonus. There was no provision for this in the tender, he said.
He wanted the Government not to take up the Pattiseema project and instead implement the Polavaram project in time-bound manner as it would be beneficial to coastal and also Rayalaseema region.
Naidu said the YSR Congress Party and the previous Congress Government had delayed implementation of various irrigation projects leading to increase in the overall project cost. It is now trying to pass on the responsibility on the Government for higher cost while seeking to delay the implementation of these projects due to vested interests.
He said the Pattiseema project is being taken up as per plans so that the surplus water could be diverted to Krishna from Godavari and used for the parched Rayalaseema districts till such time the Polavaram project gets completed. Had the previous Government completed this project, Rayalaseema would not have suffered.
Naidu said that the Government was committed to interlinking of rivers as this would have major impact on the State.
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