New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh State Water Resources Minister, Nimmala Rama Naidu, addressed the media at Andhra Bhavan in Delhi, where he strongly criticized the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leadership over their handling of the Polavaram project. Minister Rama Naidu, who is currently in Delhi as part of a delegation led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, participated in a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil on the previous day.
Speaking to the press, Rama Naidu accused the YSRCP of mismanaging the Polavaram project during their tenure. He alleged that the YSRCP government, which had allowed the project to submerge under the Godavari river during its five-year rule, is now making baseless claims to cover up its failures. “Those who submerged the Polavaram project are shamelessly discussing it now,” he stated.
Rama Naidu highlighted a report by experts from IIT Hyderabad, which noted that the upper cofferdam was damaged during the floods of August 2020. He pointed out that the diaphragm wall was compromised due to the absence of an agency from May 2019 to August 2020, a delay that ultimately led to significant damage to the project. He also cited warnings from the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) against changing contractors for such complex projects, which were reportedly ignored by the YSRCP government.
Comparing expenditures on the project, Rama Naidu stated that during the TDP government, ₹11,762 crores were spent on Polavaram, with only ₹6,764 crores received from the central government. In contrast, the YSRCP government spent ₹4,167 crores while receiving ₹8,382 crores from the center. He accused the YSRCP of diverting ₹3,385 crores of central funds and questioned their commitment to completing the project.
Rama Naidu further criticized Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for allegedly editing a draft report from an expert committee before its final submission, calling it an attempt to mislead the public and cover up the government’s mismanagement.