Stopping works during rains normal: Anil
Vijayawada: Irrigation Minister P Anil Kumar Yadav said that Polavaram Project construction works will be resumed in November 2019 and the YSRCP government is determined to complete the project by 2022.
He rejected the allegations levelled by the TDP leaders, including former ministers, that the YSRCP had stalled the works and the government had no intention to complete the project.
Addressing media conference at the Farmers Training centre at the irrigation office here on Monday, Anil Kumar questioned how the Polavaram works could be continued in the floods. He said it is a normal practice that any project works are stalled in the rainy season due to the impact of floods. He said the works would be restored in November after the receding of flood water.
He further said the spillway works will be completed by 2021 and power plant and project works would be completed by 2022. He said late Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy had obtained all permissions for the construction of the Polavaram project and 85 percent of the Right Canal digging works also completed during his tenure.
Asked about the scrapping of contract with Navayuga company, he said the government will go for the reverse tendering and allocate the works as per the norms to complete the remaining works.
He said any company can participate in the reverse tending and the Government will choose the company which quotes least. He said saving of Rs.200 crore will benefit the people and it can be used for the use of public.
Anil Kumar has alleged the previous TDP government had ignored the Relief and Rehabilitation package to the displaced families. He said the government had spent Rs.250 crore for the advertisements, but did not spend Rs.2900 crore out of the Rs 15,000 crore allocated under the Relief and Rehabilitation package for the thousands of affected families.
He stated that the government had constituted an expert committee to study the tenders and the execution of works and it will submit a report in two months.