Jagan blames TDP for Rs 2k cr burden on exchequer

Polavaram Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday blamed the erstwhile TDP Government for inordinate delay in completion of Polavaram Project and causing an additional cost of Rs 2,000 crore on the exchequer due to faulty construction of diaphragm wall of the multipurpose project.

During his recent visit to New Delhi, he told the Central Government that Andhra Pradesh had spent Rs 2,600.74 crore from the exchequer on Polavaram Project and sought its reimbursement and sought approval of the Technical Advisory Committee’s revised estimates for the national project which was put at Rs 55,548 crore.

After an aerial visit and inspection of the progress of various works of Polavaram, he directed the officials to complete the repair works on a top priority basis and develop Polavaram as a tourist destination.

He told them to develop the project site as a tourist destination by constructing a hotel, a bridge and providing other tourist-friendly amenities. Taking stock of the implementation of R & R package for the displaced persons, he directed them to provide all civic facilities and basic infrastructure simultaneously as the construction of colonies progresses.

Officials informed him that 12,658 displaced families have been shifted to the newly constructed colonies. The officials told the Chief Minister that the Union Finance Ministry has agreed to release Rs 12,911.15 crore for completion of the first phase of the Polavaram Project which includes Rs 2,000 crore extra expenditure caused due to the faulty construction of the diaphragm wall during the TDP rule.

The Finance Ministry informed this in a memorandum sent to the Union Water Resources Ministry, officials disclosed, adding that the Centre has also given exemption from compound payment of bills as it is causing project delay. Officials explained that the designs of the guide wall have been approved by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and it has been informed of the small cracks in the wall. They said repairs would be undertaken as per the suggestion of the CWC. Having a dig at a section of media owned by certain media houses close to the TDP, the Chief Minister said the same media published exaggerated reports on the cracks in the guide wall by trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.

“The section of the media was silent over the damage of the diaphragm wall caused by the faulty construction of the upper cofferdam as the engineering firm left gaps in it. Due to the flash floods, water gushed into the diaphragm wall through the gaps causing severe damage. As the diaphragm wall is the base for the construction of the main dam, the damage caused an extra financial burden of Rs 2,000 crore on the project besides delaying it. The media was silent on this because the contract was given to the relatives of the media baron by the previous TDP regime,” he said.

Reddy observed that the media is raising a hue and cry unnecessarily over the small damage caused to the guide wall, adding that officials should take this seriously and go ahead with necessary steps as it is common to move ahead undertaking repairs wherever necessary.

Officials told him that the works relating to laying of spillway concrete, construction of upper and lower cofferdams, concrete work at gap-three, arrangement of 48 radial gates, river sluice gates, tunnel work at the powerhouse, vibro compaction and sand filling at gap-one, transportation of sand to ECRF gap-two area have been completed while the approach channel works are nearing completion.