Why Polavaram height reduced, asks Nadendla Manohar

VIJAYAWADA: Jana Sena Party Political Affairs Committee chairman Nadendla Manohar on Wednesday sought to know as to why the State government had agreed to decrease the height of the Polavaram project to 41.15 metres. Manohar accompanied Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, who called on central BJP leaders in New Delhi on Monday and Tuesday. He called on Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, BJP national president JP Nadda and other leaders.

“We are startled to find that the State government officials have signed documents before the Union Jal Shakti Minister for construction of the project to a height of 41.15 metres,’’ Manohar said. He said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had given a power-point presentation earlier that the Polavaram project would be constructed at a height of 47.7 metres. However, it was agreed to construct the project with a height of 41.15 metres, Manohar said and added that the Chief Minister is confining himself to giving representations with changed dates to the Centre on the Polavaram issue.

Manohar said the State had diverted the funds released by the Centre as part of reimbursement of the amount spent on the Polavaram project. “The Chief Minister is portraying a picture that the project will be completed, which is not going to happen,” he observed and added that Pawan Kalyan will visit the Polavaram project site within a month and review its status.