River linkage, irrigation projects issues rock Andhra Pradesh Assembly

Hyderabad: The issue of river linkage and irrigation projects rocked the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for the second day on Wednesday, with the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and main opposition YSR Congress engaging in a heated exchange of words.

AP state ministers, ruling TDP members and YSR Congress members locked horns during the debate, even as opposition members trooped into the well of the House to raise slogans despite the Speaker K Sivaprasad Rao asking them to take their seats.

In his response to the heated debate which saw Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy hitting out at the state government, AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that the government would go ahead with the construction of the proposed lift irrigation project in West Godavari district and also linking of rivers in the state. The bone of contention between the two sides was the proposed Pattiseema lift irrigation project on Godavari river in West Godavari district.

Opposing the Pattiseema project, Jaganmohan Reddy alleged that it could affect the Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project, which has already been accorded national status by the Centre, and also alleged discrepancies in the tendering process. The proposed venture is also located near the Polavaram project site on Godavari river, he said.

"You have put tailor-made pre-requisites (for tender process)", he said.

The state government sought to give a bonus if the project is completed in one year though it has been proposed to complete it within an year itself, he alleged.  Jagan said that the government should cancel the proposed Pattiseema project and focus on the Polavaram project instead.

Naidu, who gave a detailed response to the debate, said that Pattiseema project would be completed in an year and that no money would be paid if construction exceeded beyond the proposed time-frame.

The Pattiseema project would not hurt East Godavari and West Godavari districts where it is proposed to be built. Besides, this would benefit farmers in the Krishna delta and the water-starved Rayalaseema region, Naidu said.

It is the responsibility of the TDP government to complete the Polavaram project, he said, adding that the government has resolved to provide irrigation to 30 lakh acres in five years through different irrigation projects