Harsha Kumar fires Pattiseema salvo

- Says Centre has not accorded permission for the project
- Alleges the project is initiated to benefit ruling party MLAs

Rajamahendravaram: Former MP GV Harsha Kumar stated that the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS) was constructed without approval from Centre.

In a statement released on Wednesday, he said that the Centre gave details about Polavaram project in Loksabha in which it made it clear that PLIS was not part of it and moreover linkage of rivers does not mean storage in a dam or reservoir.

The former MP also said that director general of National Water Development (NWDA) S Masood Hussain categorically stated in a written reply that that no information was available with NWDA regarding PLIS as it was not covered under the link projects of National Perspective Plan of Inter-Basin Water Transfer.

“He made it clear that the details of the ecological and environmental concerns are also not available in NWDA. He explained that interlinking of rivers project like any water resources project require either storage or a diversion structure such as dam or barrage and made it clear that by installing big pipes without storage reservoir or diversion, transfer of water is not considered to be technically feasible,” Harsha Kumar said quoting Masood Hussain.

He also alleged that the State government failed to prepare detailed project report for PLIS and charged that Relief and Rehabilitation package was not sent to Centre.

He remarked that PLIS has been initiated to benefit leaders and MLAs in the ruling party.