VIJAYAWADA: TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said Telugu Desam supremo N Chandrababu Naidu would complete the Polavaram project on a priority basis after the party returns to power in the State in the next elections.
Interacting with the Polavaram project displaced at Sriramavaram campsite as part of his Yuva Galam Padayatra on Tuesday, he promised to do justice to them.
Describing Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as a bane for Polavaram, he said 72 per cent of the project works were completed by the previous TDP regime and Rs 4,000 crore was spent on relief and rehabilitation of the project displaced. After Jagan came to power, he initially promised a Rs 19 lakh relief package to each ousetee and later brought it down to Rs 10 lakh.
“Now, he is claiming that nothing is in his hands and the relief can only be paid to the displaced if the Centre releases funds for Polavaram. Jagan has betrayed the project displaced by not fulfilling the promises made to them,” Lokesh observed.
Observing that the Polavaram project was pushed into crisis by Jagan, Lokesh blamed the negligence of the YSRC government for the damage to the diaphragm wall and the guide bund.
Maintaining that the TDP will abide by the promise made to the displaced earlier, Lokesh said, “The displaced will not only be paid adequate compensation but also houses will be built for them,” he promised.