VIJAYAWADA: IN a shocker to the State government, the Union Ministry of Water Resources asked the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) to submit a report on the allegations of irregularities in rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) of the Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP). Following the ministry’s directive, the PPA has written a letter to the State Water Resources department to furnish complete R&R details. Sources in the know told TNIE that the Centre sought a clarification from the PPA after a parliamentarian demanded a CBI probe into the R&R activity.
“Following the complaint from (YSRC) Rajya Sabha MP, V Vijaya Sai Reddy, the vigilance wing of the Ministry of Water Resources asked the PPA to submit a report. The complainant alleged irregularities in the R&R of the project, thereby resulting in the misuse of central funds. The PPA has already written a letter to the State department seeking its comments on the issue,” a top-ranking official said.
The PPA, which is expecting a reply from the State Water Resources department in a week or two, would then draft a detailed report with the information furnished and forward it to the Union ministry. “Based on the findings of the report, the ministry will come to a conclusion if there is any merit in the allegations made, and if it warrants a CBI probe or not,” the official observed.
It maybe noted that YSRC leaders have been accusing the State government of indulging in corruption in the execution of the national project. Even BJP leaders levelled similar charges against the Chandrababu Naidu government on several occasions in the past. However, State Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao repeatedly claimed, even as recently as on Sunday, that there were no irregularities of any sort in Polavaram expenditure. He claimed that all the bills were processed and sent to the Union ministry through the PPA, which consists of central government officials, and hence there was no scope for irregularities.
He pointed out that the PPA and project monitoring agencies appointed by the Centre regularly visit the project site and review the works. Refuting all the accusations, Devineni even dared Vijaya Sai Reddy, who alleged that the TDP government took ‘commissions’ in executing the project, to a public debate on the issue.
Interestingly, however, sources in the PPA told TNIE that it received complaints against the State government in the past regarding land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement.
“Usually, the bills submitted by contractors are paid by the State government directly. When the State wants the bills reimbursed, they send the bills to the PPA. The PPA’s chartered accountant will verify them, albeit not thoroughly. Now that the vigilance team is checking it, we will know if there are any deviations from the standard procedure,” a source claimed.