The award of ₹1,200-crore Pattiseema lift irrigation project to infrastructure company MEIL at higher than the bench mark price suggested by the State has the opposition fuming and the government defending the award of contract with strict time lines and penalty clauses for delays.

Government defends

The matter came up in the State Legislative Assembly where YSR Congress Party Leader Vishweshwar Reddy raised the matter and wanted the government to explain why the project was awarded to MEIL in spite of the company quoting a higher price than what the government wanted to offer.

Defending the move, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the project was awarded based on strict norms with tough conditions and that there was no hike in the project cost.

The Pattiseema project seeks to transfer flood water from the Godavari at Pattiseema by pumping up the water and then transferring the water through a channel to the Krishna river.

Help to Rayalaseema

The water thus transferred to the Srisailam project would be supplied to the drought-prone districts of Rayalaseema. According to the government, the project is aimed at utilisation of flood water surplus where more than 300 TMC water goes into the sea untapped.

The government seeks this project making use of surplus water till such time the mega Polavaram project gets completed.

Naidu said, “We are keen that the project gets completed within a year and help the parched Rayalaseema region.” Based on government invitation for project developers, MEIL and L&T had submitted their proposals.

While MEIL had quoted 21.9 per cent higher than the Government proposed project cost, L&T had quoted 28.9 per cent higher. Based on their responses, MEIL was awarded the contract directing it to complete within a year.

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