Vijayawada: Chief Minister Jagan Reddy would inaugurate the prestigious multipurpose Polavaram irrigation project and dedicate it to the nation once its works are complete, water resources minister Ambati Rambabu said in the legislative council on Monday.
In reply to questions raised by members, the minister said the credit for the project goes to late chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy, who set the foundation for the Polavaram project as part of his ‘Jala Yagnam’ scheme.
Reacting to criticism on the uncertainty over the timing of completion of the project, the minister criticised former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu for taking up construction of the diaphragm wall “in a hasty manner without constructing the cofferdam.” This resulted in damage to the diaphragm wall, he said.
The minister said a major blunder was committed by the TD government. “It would take time for completion of repair or reconstruction of the diaphragm wall. Experts are yet to assess the health of the diaphragm wall. Based on this, we would take up its repair or reconstruction.”
Referring to the previous TD government’s assurances to complete construction of the project by 2018, the minister asked Chandrababu Naidu as to why he failed to fulfill his commitment to complete the project.
The minister said the YSRC government was committed to provide relief and rehabilitation to all the project-affected people in a phased manner.
