Date:03/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/03/stories/2006060305870600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Polavaram project work likely to start soon:YSR

Staff Reporter

Chief Minister lays foundation for new bridge over the Godavari

Kontamuru (East Godavari): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has expressed hope that work on the Polavaram major irrigation project will resume within two months after getting fast clearances from the Union Government.

At a public meeting here, near Rajahmundry, after laying the foundation stone for the Rs. 550-crore high-level bridge across the Godavari on Friday, he said his Government wanted to utilise Godavari water properly by constructing the Polavaram project. He recalled that Sir Arthur Cotton had given a new lease of life to farmers of the Godavari delta by constructing the barrage, but after 150 years, the upland areas in East Godavari were facing more problems.

The Chief Minster said that when he spoke to some old people on Godavari water utilization issue, they said: "We have no hope that we can see Polavaram project during our life time." He said though the construction of this mega project (with Rs.14,000 crore) was a Herculean task, his Government wanted to address problems of upland area farmers in both the Godavari districts. Once the project was completed, both Krishna and Visakhapatnam districts would also get benefits due to the project.

The chief Minister took exception to the comments and statements being made by some opposition parties on Polavaram, and said that in other States all parties would come together for getting any projects or schemes from the Union Government, whereas "in our State it is entirely different."

He recalled that the opposition parties had created problems on Pulichintala project works.

The Chief Minister said the Government was giving top priority to irrigation.