Poll delay for Polavaram works irks Naidu
VIJAYAWADA: Expressing discontent over the poor progress of Polavaram project in the poll season of 45 days, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials to prepare an action plan to ensure that the works are completed by July to supply water through gravity.
He also instructed the officials to simultaneously complete the canal works and rehabilitation and resettlement of the project-affected families before the release of water.
Naidu, who last conducted a review meeting on the national project a month-and-a-half ago, took stock of the project’s execution — his first after the polls — during his 90th virtual inspection held on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister expressed his diddatisfaction over the slow pace of works in the last 45 days mainly due to elections. “Now that there is only 60 days’ time left to release water, prepare the plan to complete the works of the cofferdam and rehabilitation. We should be able to tap the Godavari floor water that comes between June and July,” he said, as officials informed him that only 40.71 per cent of upper cofferdam and 25 per cent of lower cofferdam works were completed.
The Chief Minister claimed that the State government was determined to complete the entire project by December this year, despite the Centre’s non-cooperation in release of funds. The multipurpose national project is 69 per cent ready, and the Centre, Naidu observed, is yet to reimburse `4,508.35 crore spent by the State government.
He also took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Opposition leaders for making allegations against the TDP government. “A few people are deliberately and irresponsibly making allegations by calling the project an ATM for us. This is not an ATM to make money. This project is All Time Water,” he asserted.