Pattiseema lift scheme of no use, says JP

He urges State to expedite Polavaram project

Lok Satta Party national president Jayaprakash Narayan has asked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to expedite Polavaram project and complete it in 3 years. At the same time he said there was absolutely no use of taking up Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS).

Addressing a media conference here on Monday, Dr. Jayaprakash said there would be waste of public money if Pattisesma project was taken up as tapping the flood waters above 14 feet is not possible in present circumstances due to various reasons including augmentation of water, rainfall, land acquisition and other factors.

He asked why the State government was not kick starting works of Polavaram project which is the only source to interlinking Krishna and Godavari, to irrigate uplands and drought hit region of Rayalaseema and to stabilise Godavari and Krishna delta and also to provide drinking water to Visakhapatnam.

Speaking on the special status, the former IAS officer said the State would be badly affected if the revenue deficit was not compensated by the Centre and alleged that Mr Naidu is not asking the Centre to give waivers to industries going to be set up in the State. However, Mr. Narayan welcomed the land pooling system which is being implemented by the State government in connection with the new capital. He did not find any wrong in applying the land acquisition act in connection with the new capital and state government has full powers to acquire land from farmers if the land is really important for building the new capital. He commented that no state or country could be developed without acquiring land and opposing the land acquisition is very dangerous development for the country.

On ragging issue, he made it clear that the present acts passed by the State government in past are enough and there is no necessity of bringing new act on the lines of Nirbhaya act as told by HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao.

Courtesy: The Hindu