Hopes fading on Polavaram, says Ramakrishna
CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna addressing the media in Tirupati on Tuesday
Tirupati: CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna said that the completion of Polavaram project became questionable with the attitude of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Speaking to the media here on Tuesday, he said that the Polavaram project is to be constructed at a height of 150 feet and it will not be beneficial if it is reduced to 45.72 ft. The decision taken by former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy on its height was also supported by another former CM N Chandrababu Naidu, he pointed out.
However, the present CM was looking to reduce the cost of national projects to the Centre by ignoring the interests of the state. Due to his incompetence and cowardice, the complete construction of Polavaram has become questionable. He said that the lifeline of the people of the state has become questionable. CM Jagan was not only destroying Amaravati but also neglecting the Polavaram project, Ramakrishna alleged.
The CPI leader criticised that the CM has been making lame excuses for the poor progress in the project construction. If the height is 150 feet, there is a possibility of storing 194 tmc ft of water and there will be a possibility of supplying water to Rayalaseema, north Andhra and coastal areas. Also, there will be a possibility of producing 940 megawatt electricity.
The state government has even cheated the displaced people by not giving them rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) package. In view of this, a meeting will be organised on August 23 in Eluru with farmers’ associations, irrigation experts and various political parties to chalk out an action plan to expose government attitude in this regard, he said.
Ramakrishna said that the bus yatra will be undertaken by the CPI to expose the anti-people policies being adopted by the Central and state governments. It will start on August 17 in Visakhapatnam and continue till September 8. CPI state committee members P Harinath Reddy, A Ramanaidu, district secretary Murali, Chinnam Penchalaya, Radhakrishna, Viswanath, Nadia and others were present.