Senior Congress chief and former Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao on Wednesday took exception to Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s assertion accusing former chief minister YS Rajasekha Reddy (YSR) of neglecting the Polavaram main irrigation challenge being constructed on Godavari river.
In an open letter to Naidu, the Congress chief stated whereas he would recognize the dedication of the current authorities to finish the Polavaram challenge, the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh, by 2027, he was very a lot pained responsible it on YSR for the inordinate delay in taking on the challenge.
“Actually, the Polavaram challenge, which had remained solely on paper since 1941, was utterly uncared for through the TDP regime between 1995 and 2004. It was solely after YSR grew to become the chief minister that the challenge started taking form,” Rao stated.
The Congress chief identified that YSR was instrumental in getting all permissions, together with the essential environmental clearance, for the challenge throughout his regime. “That UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had visited Polavaram twice through the Congress authorities itself confirmed how a lot significance it had given to the challenge,” he stated.
Rao additionally asserted that it was through the YSR authorities that the correct and left canals of Polavaram challenge have been constructed to a big extent at a price of ₹5,000 crore. “After the bifurcation of the mixed state, the central authorities was supposed to finish the challenge at its personal price, because it was declared a nationwide challenge as per AP Reorganisation Act. But, the state authorities had taken up the duty of finishing it, for causes identified to you,” he stated.
He stated there was nothing mistaken on the a part of Naidu to assert credit score for the progress of works within the Polavaram challenge up to now, nevertheless it was not appropriate to discredit YSR and the Congress authorities prior to now. “I want your authorities will full the challenge by 2027 as you’ve claimed within the meeting, and see that Andhra Pradesh will develop into fertile,” he added.
On Tuesday, Naidu advised the state meeting that the Polavaram challenge could be accomplished by all means as per the deliberate peak of 45.72 metres by 2027. “The brand new diaphragm wall building would begin in January 2025, with completion focused for 2026. The whole challenge will likely be accomplished by 2027,” he asserted.
