HYDERABAD: Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah has said that the State Government will go ahead with the Polavaram project by overcoming any number of hurdles.

Referring to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's reported plea to the State Government to stop the project, Mr. Laxmaiah said this was not the first time that such a proposal had been made by a neighbouring State. It was made earlier also but the State was firm on building a dam with a height of 150 ft. He said he could not go into the details of the letter as he had not seen it so far.

Mr. Laxmaiah rejected the demand of Congress MLA P. Janardhan Reddy for keeping in abeyance the Government Order 170, which ensured higher release of water to Rayalaseema from Pothireddypadu head regulator.

Order amended

He pointed out that the Government had amended the order to delete the words "assured irrigation water," sought to protect the lower riparian rights and incorporated GO 69 into it.

He explained that GO 69 was issued keeping in view the releases from Srisailam for drinking water supply in Hyderabad and Chennai, the Nagarjunasagar project, the Krishna delta and the Srisailam Right Branch Canal, in that order of priority.

When the demand of Ellampally (Sripad Sagar) project oustees for higher compensation was brought to his notice, Mr. Laxmaiah said there was no need for them to get agitated as the Government implemented the best R & R package in the country. The Government extended a consent award instead of implementing legislations forcibly in the matter of payment of compensation.

The fact that only two cases of complaints of underpayment were received by the Government spoke laurels about the R & R package. Both the cases were resolved amicably. Not a single case was filed in the court, he added.

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