Ambati counters Naidu’s charges over Polavaram

Former minister Ambati Rambabu has accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of disseminating false information in the just-released white paper on the Polavaram project. Rambabu claimed that Naidu’s allegations were aimed at diverting attention from the mistakes made by the TDP government and targeting former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Rambabu asserted that Naidu’s administration was responsible for the current issues plaguing the Polavaram project, pointing to strategic errors made during the TDP’s tenure. He criticised Naidu’s decision to take over the central government project in 2016 using outdated rates from 2013-14.
Countering Naidu’s accusations, Rambabu emphasized that the Chief Minister was spreading lies about the Polavaram diaphragm wall. He argued that the wall was damaged due to the improper construction of cofferdams during Naidu’s administration. According to Rambabu, the proper procedure required constructing cofferdams only after diverting the river through the spill, approach, and other channels, followed by the diaphragm wall. He contended that the diaphragm wall was built prematurely, leading to the current problems.
Rambabu highlighted the contributions of the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who he said was instrumental in securing the necessary permissions for the Polavaram project. He recounted that in July 2010, during Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure, the Forest Department granted stage 2 permission. Rambabu praised Reddy for his efforts, stating that he visited the site multiple times and worked with MPs to obtain all required clearances. He pointed out that Naidu had previously served as Chief Minister but did not prioritize the Polavaram project during his earlier tenure.
The former minister dismissed Naidu’s white paper as misleading, asserting that Naidu’s fears stemmed from the missteps of the TDP government and the uncertainty surrounding the project’s completion. Rambabu detailed the timeline of permissions obtained during Rajasekhara Reddy’s leadership, including environmental and wildlife clearances and approvals from various central departments between 2005 and 2009.
Rambabu presented a comparison of the Polavaram project’s status in 2019, when Naidu stepped down, and its progress in 2024 under YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government, asserting that significant advancements were made during the latter’s administration.