Date:26/04/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/04/26/stories/2004042612970500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TDP, NDA accused of ignoring irrigation sector

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 25. Leaders of the Congress, CPI(M), CPI and MIM have accused the TDP Government and the NDA regime of grossly neglecting the irrigation sector by failing to properly harness water resources.

They were speaking at a round-table on `Utilisation of river water and project management,' organised by the Forum for Utilisation of Godavari Waters here on Sunday.

The former Minister and chairman of the forum, M. Shashidhar Reddy, said the vital sector of water resources utilisation had been ignored though it contributed 26 per cent of the GDP. He found fault with the State Government for failing to complete pending irrigation projects on the Krishna before 2000, when the Bachawat Award came up for review.

With regard to Godavari waters utilisation, he said the position remained unchanged during the nine-year rule of the TDP. Nearly 50 per cent of the Godavari waters flowed into the sea when the Chandrababu Naidu Government came to power and the same situation continued due to a lack of political will.

There was no progress on SRSP stage two and Velugonda projects, the foundation stones for which were laid in 1996. Similarly, no proper work began on Devadula scheme, which was promised to be completed by 2003.

Mr. Shashidhar Reddy disputed the claim of the Chief Minister that the inter-linking of rivers project would benefit Andhra Pradesh and maintained that the State would stand to lose about 250 tmc if it was implemented. Referring to the project for bringing Krishna waters to augment drinking water supply in the twin cities, he said it would not be able to meet the requirement when completed.

The CPI(M) State Secretary, B.V. Raghavulu, charged the Government with neglecting the irrigation sector in the name of power reforms. He took exception to the Chief Minister's criticism of the opposition with regard to Pulichintala and Polavaram projects.

The CPI State secretary, S. Sudhakar Reddy, alleged that the TDP Government made tall promises and laid foundation stones for projects only with an eye on elections. The MIM leader, Asaddudin Owaisi, accused the State Government of not paying attention to solving the acute drinking water crisis in the city.

The noted environmentalist, Puroshattam Reddy, and several other Congress leaders attended the meet.