HYDERABAD: Claiming that the Polavaram multipurpose irrigation project has been pending since Independence, PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana has ruled out the possibility of changing the dam’s design or reducing its height at this juncture.Speaking to reporters at Gandhi Bhavan here on Tuesday, he said the government took up the project as part of a river linkage programme. “Polavarm project will link the Godavari and the Krishana, and benefit all the regions of the state. It will provide 300 tmcft of irrigation water for 27 lakh acres. It will also help meet the drinking water demand of the Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad cities. Besides, 960 MW of hydel generation will be possible and will spur industrial development in the state."Dismissing the criticism made by the Telugu Desam, he appealed to all political parties to cooperate with the government for the project’s early completion.He advised TDP leaders to stop making baseless allegations against the government over the project but to recognise people’s requirements and overall development of the state.“The government has finalised the tenders in favour of a company which quoted a price 12.5 percent lower. If the tenders were to be cancelled, it would impose an additional financial burden on the government and also create a lot of other problems. Those who demand cancellation of the tenders should bear all these problems in mind,’’ he said.He said the state was moving forward on the project and was fighting a legal battle in the Supreme Court following some objections raised by Odisha and Chhattisgarh.The problem of submergence was the offshoot of any big project, he said and cited the case of the Nagarjunasagar project.The government would address the submergence problem with effective rehabilitation package, he assured.KK’s demand: At another press conference, Telangana Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao demanded that the government change project design and reduce its height."If the project is built as per the present design, 260 villages and two lakh people will be affected,’’ he said.Rao said all Telangana Congress leaders and cadre would strongly oppose the project and were not ready to compromise on the issue. He said that they were not against any region but wanted that Polavaram project be constructed with a modified design.
Comments
0 comment