Congress MLC T. Jeevan Reddy has asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to stop the 'illegal' projects in Andhra Pradesh and also put brakes on the proposed extension for lifting 3rd TMC in the Kaleshwaram project as it was nothing but an exercise of looting public money.
At a press conference here, he said the BJP cannot escape responsibility by merely writing letters to Andhra Pradesh government to stop the ongoing projects in the Krishna basin. The Union Jal Shakthi Ministry has clearly said any project taken up against the norms in the AP Bifurcation Act would be treated as illegal.
The Congress MLC alleged that AP Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy was brazenly going ahead with the 'illegal' projects with the active support of the Telangana CM, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, further adding that the BJP is conspicuously silent on it thus compromising the interests of Telangana.
Alleging huge corruption in the Kaleshwaram project, he asked why the Chief Minister was so interested in pumping the 3rd TMC from Kaleshwaram when the water available with the present 2 TMC pumping was not being utilised totally. In the first phase of Kaleshwaram 450 TMC is available but with the present projects only 300 TMC was be utilised. When there is an additional 150 TMC going waste why is the CM bent upon building support for lifting the 3rd TMC, he asked. "This is nothing but an effort to indulge in corrupt practices," he alleged.
Mr. Reddy reminded that ₹5,650 crores excess payments were noticed in just four packages of work as per the information secured through the RTI applications. While the supply cost of machinery and equipment from the BHEL was just Rs. 1,687 crores for some works agreement value with the contractors was Rs. 7,349 crores. Why is the government not answering?
Pointing out the 3rd TMC lifting works in Kaleshwaram as an excuse, the AP Chief Minister is going ahead with its illegal projects and suprisingly Mr. KCR is silent on the AP government, he claimed. "KCR has colluded with Jaganmohan Reddy for making illegal money," he alleged.
Mr. Reddy also took a jibe at the Telangana BJP leaders for not pressurising the Centre to take action on the 'illegal' projects. "Aren't they concerned about the damage to Telangana and its future in Krishna basin," he asked.
