He added that the government was committed to make the Polavaram project a reality at any cost. In Hyderabad, however, Mr Ramesh said: “Till we find a satisfactory way of ensuring that no villages are submerged in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh and Malkangiri district of Odisha, we will not be able to go ahead with the Polavaram project."
Though the state government had proposed `620-crore embankment walls to be constructed in Chhattisgarh and Odisha, a final decision has to taken by the Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments, the minister added. Addressing a public meeting at the Siddhrardha Engineering College in Kanuru village in Vijayawada conducted by the Congress, the CM said that the government would finalise the tenders on an auspicious day.
Meanwhile, in Hyderabad, speaking on the sidelines of Microfinance and Inclusive Development — an Alternative Summit — at MCR HRD Institute here, Mr Ramesh pointed out that there had been no significant shift from the last position that he had articulated on Polavaram. He also asked the Andhra Pradesh government to undertake cumulative environmental impact assessments independently in fragile environmental areas and where power projects were coming up like Krishnapatnam, Srikakulam and other parts of the state. Read the full report here.
Source: Deccan Chronicle, Vijayawada/Hyderabad.
