VIJAYAWADA: After submitting a report on the latest developments pertaining to the Polavaram project to the Centre, Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) officials inspected the project site on Sunday. The officials headed by PPA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) RK Jain also held a meeting with BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao and other party leaders on the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) works, in which large-scale irregularities were alleged by the project displaced families (PDFs).
Narasimha Rao interacted with the project displaced families in West Godavari district, before the review meeting with officials. The PDFs submitted several representations to the MP alleging irregularities in the R&R process. Speaking on the occasion, GVL said there was a need to examine all the complaints and demanded that all the details of R&R done so far be made available in public domain.
The Rajya Sabha MP said that the execution of the national project was under the State government’s purview and that the onus lies on it to ensure speedy completion of it. He, however, clarified that the Centre was only concerned about the likely delay in the project execution due to re-tendering, but it would not support or oppose any contracting agency in the matter.
“A lot of money has been spent, but who benefited from it? Has the funds, released by the Centre, reached beneficiaries? Or has it gone into pockets of a few people. Even we have these doubts. And all these have to be exposed. We will take up the issue with the State government and, if need be, get support from Centre also. We will not tolerate any injustice. Whatever the PDFs are entitled to get as per law, we will ensure that they get it,” the MP told the families. Later, he held a review meeting on R& R issues with the PPA officials, who presented the status of R&R works done so far. The officials informed the MP about the schedule for the completion of the remaining works of the project.