HYDERABAD: Reiterating that his government was ready to spend more than Rs 10,000 crore for rehabilitating those affected by the Musi Riverfront Development Project, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday asked the leaders of opposition parties to give suggestions on how to implement the plan instead of merely criticising it.
The CM also challenged BRS leaders KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao as well as BJP MP Eatala Rajender to stay in Musi river catchment area for just one week. “Only then will they understand the problems and plight of poor people living in that area,” he said.
Revanth made these remarks after handing over appointment letters to 1,635 candidates who were recruited in various government departments.
“Isn’t it true that 60,000 acres of land were acquired by evicting residents of 40 villages for construction of Mallannasagar project? Wasn’t land acquired for Kondapochammasagar or Ranganayakasagar projects? Today for the Musi project, 10,000 families are being displaced. Instead of giving suggestions on rehabilitating the displaced families, the opposition parties are making unnecessary comments. Should residents of Musi river catchment area live in dirty, polluted environment and just die there? Why shouldn’t they lead better lives?” he asked while stating his government’s intention to provide them dignified living conditions.
Specifically criticising Eatala Rajender, he said: “Eatala joined the BJP but he hasn’t given up the BRS habits. First Harish Rao and KTR are speaking against the government decision on Musi project and next day, Eatala is repeating the same script.”
He challenged Rajender to come with him to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seek assistance for Musi river project. The CM also said that experts from Geological Survey of India have submitted a report stating that there were vertical underground cracks (ground fissures) when Mallannasagar and Kondapochammasagar projects were built.
“According to the technical experts’ report, if 50 tmcft water is stored, these projects will sag and earthquakes will occur. As a result, many villages will be swept away in floodwaters,” he said and added that the previous BRS government never filled these reservoirs with even 15 tmcft of water.
“The commission appointed to probe the Kaleshwaram project is only looking into limited technical aspects. Let us appoint better technical experts to delve deep into the issue,” he added.
Alleging that no DPR was prepared before executing the Kaleshwaram project, he said: “Even if we build a small house, we will make prior estimates and plans. But there was no DPR for a Rs 1.5 lakh crore project. The estimated cost was escalated to Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the name of redesigning and Rs 1 lakh crore has been spent so far.”
He also alleged that all structures constructed by the previous government were of poor quality. “I am challenging the BRS leaders. Let us visit the double-bedroom houses, Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial, Secretariat, Medigadda, Sundilla and Annaram barrages and check the quality. These were built and also collapsed during their regime,” he said.
‘Don’t take inspiration from Kaleshwaram engineers’
The CM appealed all engineers to not take inspiration from their counterparts who built the Kaleshwaram project. “Will you take inspiration from engineers who built Charminar and Osmania University or from those who built Kaleshwaram?” he asked.
He also said that the state government has expedited the recruitment process. He said that within 10 months of coming to power, the Congress government filled 60,000 vacancies in various departments. It is committed to resolving the unemployment problem in the state, he added.
Alleging that the previous government had failed to fill vacancies in the government sector, he noted: “In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, people voted out Vinod Kumar in Karimnagar and Kalvakuntla Kavitha in Nizamabad. But within six months of their defeat, Vinod Kumar was made vice-chairman of Planning Commission and Kavitha got an MLC post. When people rejected them, KCR gave them jobs.”
Vertical underground cracks
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said that experts from Geological Survey of India have submitted a report stating that there were vertical underground cracks (ground fissures) when Mallannasagar and Kondapochammasagar projects were built. “According to the technical experts report, if 50 tmcft water is stored, these projects will sag and earthquakes will occur. As a result, many villages will be swept away in floodwaters,” he said and added that the previous BRS government never filled these reservoirs with even 15 tmcft of water.
