The allegations of irregularities in awarding the contract of Pattiseema lift irrigation project continued to rock Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday with the leader of Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy questioning the method of finalising the contracts.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on the other hand said that the project was aimed at utilising the floodwater of river Godavari to fulfil the needs of drought-prone Rayalaseema region, which former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy failed to fulfil. Speaking in the Assembly Naidu said that the irrigation problem worsened in AP after the bifurcation of the State.
On Polavaram project, which has been declared as a national project by the Centre as part of the bifurcation package, Naidu said that Rs10,415 crore would be required to complete it. He informed the House that a meeting of Polavaram authority was held two days back and the proceedings of the meeting will be provided to the Opposition.
“Authority demanded that the Centre should reimburse the expenditure incurred in the past and provide the funds for the future expenditures”, Naidu said. “The project will be completed in four-and-a-half years”, Naidu exuded confidence adding that it was on his demand that the Centre promulgated an Ordinance on Polavaram.
He alleged that the YSR Government had launched the works on Polavaram in 2005 only to benefit the contractors. “If they were sincere to irrigate Rayalaseema region, they would have taken up Pattiseema lift irrigation project and the region would have got the water nine years ago”, Naidu said lashing out at Jagan for leveling baseless allegations.
On Opposition’s charge of irregularities in awarding contract, Naidu said that only if the contractor completes the work on time as per the contract the company would get the 17 per cent bonus. Asserting that his Government’s goal was to make Andhra Pradesh a drought-proof State, Naidu said that Telugu Desam Government in the past had taken up several irrigation projects to utilise 2250 tmc ft of water. “We have a right over the surplus water of Krishna river.
It was NTR who had taken up Telugu Ganga project to utilise the surplus Krishna water but YSR had written to Krishna Tribunal that the State does not need the surplus water”, he said.
Earlier Jaganmohan Reddy demanded scrapping of Pattiseema project contract. “The Government should focus on Polavaram project first.” He demanded to know where the Government intends to store the 80 tmc ft water diverted through the Pattiseema lift scheme as Prakasham barrage had capacity to hold only 3 tmc ft of water.
Raising questions about the contract, he said when there was a GO that no contract should be more than 5 per cent in excess, then why did the Government accept a tender with 21.9 per cent excess. He also wanted to know how the Government could give 16.9 per cent bonus to the contractor.
On Naidu’s taunt that he (Jagan) was against supply of water to Rayalaseema, the leader of Opposition said that that water should be provided only through Potireddypadu Head regulator.