The Telugu Desam Party took strong exception to inauguration of K.L. Rao Sagar (Pulichintala) Project before its completion.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, TDP leader and Machilipatnam MP Konakalla Narayana said that the Pulichintala Project was started with an estimated cost of Rs.600 crore.
Later, it was revised to Rs.1,800 crore. The government, however, could complete works valued at only Rs.1,200 crore. The government also could not commence works on the 120 MW power plant so far, he said.
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The project, which was supposed to be completed in three years, was still under construction. Former Chief Minister Damodaram Sanjeevaiah laid foundation stone in 1962, but no works were taken up. Later, former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao re-laid the foundation stone in 1988 and works were carried out till 1994.
Successive Congress governments did not continue the work and neglected it, the MP alleged. The project got every clearance during N. Chandrababu Naidu’s tenure as the Chief Minister.
The Congress government hasn’t taken up rehabilitation measures and paid compensation to 35 villages that would be submerged in the project. But, the Chief Minister inaugurated the project with much fanfare though 35 per cent works were still pending, he added.
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TDP Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency in-charge Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) said that the project was inaugurated with an eye on general elections.
It was unfortunate that the Chief Minister was on a spree of inaugurations when Seemandhra people were anxious about the division of the State. Brijesh Kumar Tribunal verdict would hugely impact the Pulichintala project. The government, however, showed no concern for it and was more interested in inaugurations only to hoodwink the farmers. TDP Urban president Buddha Venkanna, Vijayawada (Central) in-charge Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, Vijayawada (west) in-charge K. Nagul Meera, TDP Urban affiliated organisations and in-charge Kommareddi Pattabhiram spoke.