Polavaram will be constructed on time, no change in height: AP Minister Anil Kumar Yadav

Nellore:Brushing aside the allegations on reducing the height of Polavaram project, Minister for Water Resources Anil Kumar Yadav has affirmed that there will not be any reduction in height of the project and said that the project will be completed on time. Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the Minister slammed TDP leaders for planting stories and propagating false news through their friendly media to divert the attention of people.Not an inch of the height of Polavaram project will be reduced and it will be ready by December 2021, he said.

The previous TDP government had neglected the R&R package and concentrated on contracts and commission. It was more focused on kickbacks. The TDP has never reached out to a single house for rehabilitation and is now speaking of R and R package.

It is Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy who is committed to complete the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) of irrigation projects Gandikota, Veligonda, and even Polavaram. The State government had spent Rs 950 Crore towards R&R package for the Gandikota project, Rs 1200 Crore for the R&R Veligonda project. All the R&R packages are being done in a phased manner, he said adding that the opposition leaders have no moral right to speak on the R&R packages.

By March next 20,000 houses will be distributed to Displaced Persons of Polavaram, he said.

The Minister challenged the opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu to reveal the December 2017 union cabinet note, which was attended by former TDP Ministers and make public the decision taken on Polavaram project.

The TDP leaders were falsely claiming that 70 percent of the works were completed in their term, leaving behind R&R package. He slammed opposition leaders for making false allegations against the State government and spreading false news to divert the attention of people.