Irrigation Minister D. Umamaheswara Rao on Saturday blamed the previous Congress government for the inordinate delay in the execution of the Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) project by undertaking earthworks and ignoring the project at the tunnels and hard surface areas.
The Minister, after his Kadapa tour, reached the HNSS tunnel sites at Katlatapalle and Ramireddigari Palle near Madanapalle. Accompanied by engineers and contractors, Mr. Rao went inside the tunnel and inspected the work.
Speaking to the media, he alleged that during the Congress rule huge money was misused in the name of Jalayagnam. He said that the tunnel works were not touched, leading to delay and cost escalation.
“The TDP government is committed to completing the work in Chittoor district and bringing Pattiseema waters to the region by August-end. All water projects, including Galeru-Nagari, would be completed at the earliest,” the Minister said.
Mr. Rao reiterated that all the tanks along the HNSS project would be supplied water. Tanks spreading over hundred acres and beyond would be administered through the water management societies.
‘Deeksha meaningless’
Stating that the double standards of YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on water projects in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were exposed, Mr. Rao observed that the “deeksha” over the Pranahitha-Chevella project was meaningless.
“It was the Congress government that sent proposals and called for tenders for the project in 2009,” he said.
Charging Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy with colluding with Telangagna Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao over water projects there, the Minister said that the Palamuru project contracts had been given to the MLAs and MPs of the YSR Congress.
The Irrigation Minister said that all the ongoing water projects in Andhra Pradesh had the permission of the Apex Council for the Godavari and Krishna River Resources and their management boards, and its Chairman and Union Minister Uma Bharti was in full knowledge about the projects. Later, the Minister inspected the HNSS water pumping station at Sugalimetta in Punganur Assembly constituency and the canal work at Appinapalle in Palamaner constituency limits.
