HYDERABAD: Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah today dismissed as baseless the charges of corruption levelled by TDP leaders in the award of contracts and execution of several irrigation projects in the State.
Speaking with mediapersons here, Lakshmaiah said that ever since the State Government launched the prestigious and innovative Jala Yagnam programme, TDP leaders have been carrying on a vicious campaign against it. ``They are unable to digest the success of the programme. Like the demons, they are trying to destroy the yagna,’’ he remarked. Claiming that the government had been handling the irrigation projects issue in a very transparent way, the minister said several open fora were conducted to clear all the doubts and apprehensions expressed by the participants.
“Though TDP leaders, including its chief Chandrababu Naidu, levelled baseless allegations both inside and outside the State legislature, they could not prove a single charge. They failed to come out with any proof,’’ the minister pointed out.
Referring to the charges levelled by the TDP leadership on the prestigious Dr BR Ambedkar Pranahitha-Chevelle Sujala Sravanthi lift irrigation project, Lakshmaiah said the government had so far allocated about Rs 6,000 crore for the works. “The TDP leaders alleged that a whopping Rs 10,000 crore changed hands. It is ridiculous to say that somebody is paying Rs 10,000 crore as bribe for a work that is estimated at Rs 6,000 crore. This alone proves the false propaganda being launched by the TDP.’’ Reiterating that the government would not take cognisance of such baseless charges, Laxmaiah said they would complete ongoing projects on time and would make Jala Yagnam a grand sucess. About the agitation of the TDP and other Opposition parties on Babhali project in Maharashtra, the major irrigation minister said the Opposition parties were trying to derive political mileage from it.
“They are not sincere. They are politicising the issue. The allegations and counter-allegations against each other by K Srihari and E Dayakar Rao exposed their true colours,’’ he said.
