Ex-MLA lambasts CM for allowing to reduce Polavaram dam height

Anantapur: Former MLA and YSRCP district president Anantha Venkataram Reddy took a dig at Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for raising no objection to the Central cabinet decision to reduce the height of Polavaram project from 45.72 meters to 41.15 meters. This will lead to a decline in storage capacity from 195 TMC to 115 TMC, he added.

Addressing a press conference at the party office here on Friday, Anantha Reddy said that a decrease in the height of Polavaram dam would defeat the very purpose of the project, which is the lifeline of the State and a multi-purpose project serving drinking water, irrigation requirements and power production requirements of the State.

He regretted that neither MPs from the State nor the State government raised objection to the Union cabinet decision.He maintained that although the project does not accrue direct benefits to Rayalaseema, it benefits the State at large.

The former MLAsaid Krishna waters will reach Nagarjuna Sagar from Srisailam project. If Polavaram project is completed, then Srisailam water of Krishna could be diverted to Rayalaseema districts, he noted.

Anantha Reddy has accused CM Naidu of exploiting Polavaram project for political purposes. ‘No less than Prime Minister of the country had accused Naidu of misusing Polavaram funds as an ATM. Now he remains a mute spectator to the infamous Union cabinet decision to reduce the height of Polavaram project, thus jeopardising the interests of the State.’ He demanded the CM to use his good offices to make the Centre announce that the status quo of the project height will be maintained.

Anantha Reddy also demanded the Chief Minister to declare all mandals in Anantapur as drought-hit as rains recorded in the district were untimely and did not serve the crops purpose. The district is reeling under drought conditions for the second consecutive year.