Date:09/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/09/stories/2005040910270400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

State must clear the air: Telugu Desam

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, APRIL 8. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has taken exception to the Irrigation Minister, Ponnala Lakshmaiah's refusal to provide access to official files at the public debate on irrigation tenders slated for April 10.

At a press conference here on Friday, the party leaders -- Ummareddy Venkateshwarlu and Kotagiri Vidyadhar Rao -- also objected to Mr. Lakshmaiah responding to a letter written by their party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, to the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy. The tone and tenor too was not proper.

"If the ruling party is sure that its hands are clean, why are conditions being imposed on the attendance of party leaders and why is it insisting on the presence of one irrigation expert from each party. Given the size of the TDP, its numbers and its popularity among people, at least five of us should be allowed to attend the hearing," they reiterated.

`Ministers divided'

Mr. Vidyadhar Rao said there were differences among the Ministers themselves.

While Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, had told the Assembly that they would have no objection to putting the files up for the public, his colleague, Mr. Lakshmaiah had in his letter to Mr. Naidu categorically said due to administrative constraints, the Government would be unable to show the files.

In the Nettempadu project alone the revised proposals had shown the cost coming down to Rs. 778 crores from the original estimates of Rs. 860 crores. "Show us the files and we shall ensure savings of at least Rs. 3,000 crores by proving that officials have colluded with contractors and hiked estimates," he said.

BJP joins chorus

Meanwhile, the BJP took exception to the Government's decision to allow only an expert to the scrutiny of tenders and to the debate. It demanded that at least an MLA or a political leader be allowed along with the expert.

Addressing a press conference, the former Union Minister -- Ch. Vidyasagara Rao, and the BJP MLA, G. Kishen Reddy - said though the party decided to depute M. Venkatesham, a former superintending engineer, they reminded the Government that it was not experts or engineers who had raised doubts over the tenders but it was MLAs and political leaders.