PNS|Vijayawada
Congress party senior leader and former MP KVP Ramachandra Rao has appealed to Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy not to agree to reduce the level of the Polavaram project reservoir even if pressure is exerted on him.
In a letter to the Chief Minister here on Tuesday, KVP urged the Chief Minister not to agree to reduce the Polavaram project reservoir level to +140, even if the Centre exerts pressure citing reasons of land acquisition, settling the RRR package, and extending funds.
He said that as per the Godavari Tribunal’s 1980 verdict and the approval given by the Central Water Tribunal, the Polavaram project reservoir level should be +150 feet.
The Polavaram project, which was the dream of the then chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, should be completed at the earliest, KVP said, stating that if the State government is compromised at the project reservoir level, it amounts to a betrayal of the State.
Regretting that the Polavaram project works were being carried out in a tardy manner, KVP said that the government officials were unable to tell when exactly the project works would be completed, and urged to expedite the works.
“The Centre does not seem to be willing to extend Rs 30,000 crore for the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) of evacuees and land acquirement. If the Centre does not extend the money, the State government cannot bear the expenditure,” KVP opined.
“The media reports indicate that the Centre has asked the State government to reduce the full reservoir level to +140 feet and the state government is likely to agree to the same keeping in view the financial position. If the State government agrees to reduce the reservoir level to +140, the construction of the project won’t serve its purpose,” KVP stated.
