Polavaram project won’t affect Telangana interests: Ambati Rambabu

Ambati attributed the present problems of the Polavaram project to the previous TDP regime.
Polavaram project won’t affect Telangana interests: Ambati Rambabu

VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Water Resources Ambati Rambabu has reiterated that the execution of Polavaram Irrigation Project will in no way affect the interests of Telangana as being claimed by some ministers and officials of the neighbouring State.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, he said permission for the Polavaram project with an FRL of 45.72 metres was given only after extensive studies and inspections. “Let me repeat, even storage of water at the FRL in the project, will not pose any threat or cause loss to Telangana. The seven mandals, which will face submergence, have already been merged with Andhra Pradesh,” he asserted.

With regards to the demand of the Telangana minister for five AP villages, Ambati advised them to approach the Centre. “I wonder why Telangana legislators, who did not bother to raise the issue in the last eight years, are asking it now,” he said.

Taking exception to reports based on Centre’s reply to TDP MP Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, Ambati alleged that a malicious effort was being made to discredit the YSRC government and create an impression that the Polavaram project works progressed sans any hiccups during the previous TDP regime and came to a halt with the change in the guard. “The fact is that the Polavaram project works are not progressing as expected and the reason is mismanagement of the projects works by the previous TDP government,” he averred.

Ambati attributed the present problems of the Polavaram project to the previous TDP regime. Like nowhere else, the TDP government had started diaphragm wall works even before the construction of cofferdams. When the floods happened in subsequent years, as the spillway was not complete, water flowed through the incomplete cofferdams and over the diaphragm wall causing a major damage.

“A sum of Rs 400 crore spent on diaphragm has been rendered a waste as the diaphragm wall was washed away. When these are the facts, the TDP has gone to town spewing lies and distorting facts to tarnish the image of the YSRC government,” he charged.

Lambasting TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and his partymen for their adverse comments on the Polavaram project, he made it clear that if anyone is to be blamed for Polavaram problems, it should be Naidu.He was also critical of TDP chief’s visit to Godavari flood affected areas and said it was only meant for getting political mileage with help of the media favourable to him.

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