How will you complete Polavaram project in time? Former Andhra MP Arun Kumar asks TDP govt

Former MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar hit out against the ruling TDP government in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, and asked how it planned to complete the Polavaram irrigation project by 2018.

Stating that only 6% of the tunnel works had been completed so far, the former Congressman said that he was ready for an open debate with TDP leaders with facts and figures on the massive irrigation projects. 

He addressed media persons in Rajamahendravaram on Friday. 

“Works have come to a standstill at the Polavaram project site and the Centre expressed dissatisfaction over the pace at which the works are going on. The CAG’s report raised objections over the spending of Rs 390 crore. Instead of bringing these facts before the people, the government is trying to manage the project with graphics-like arrangement,” he was quoted as saying.

“I am ready to prove that there were no irregularities in the works undertaken during the Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure, the leader who commenced the Polavaram works. Are the TDP leaders ready to prove the same during their rule?” he asked.

This is not the first time that the former MP has lashed out against Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu either.

Addressing media persons in Vijayawada earlier this month, he said, “Polavaram project has been the people’s dream for decades. It has been conceived with an objective of irrigating several lakh acres of barren land, by diverting water, which would otherwise go waste into the sea.”

He also said that the project could have been completed with a quarter of its present cost, if construction had been sped up earlier.

“The project has eluded people for too long for no fault of their own. It can’t afford to wait longer,” he said.

Earlier this week, the police detained TDP MLA Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary and Arun Kumar, as they headed to the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada.

The duo were headed towards the barrage for an ‘open debate’ on alleged corruption and irregularities in irrigation projects taken up by the state.

It all began earlier this month, when Arun Kumar held a press meet and alleged large scale corruption in the Pattiseema project. 

Irked by Arun Kumar’s criticism, Chowdary challenged him to participate in a debate on the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project on July 18 at the Prakasam Barrage.

But as they didn’t have any police permission, Arun Kumar was detained first at the Prakasam Barrage, while Chowdary was detained at Gannavaram, just as he was headed to the spot with his followers.

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