The main reason behind the delay in Polavaram Project is that the leaders of ruling TDP malicious intentions of making money with the project. It is clear that, the five years in power have shown no sincerity to complete the project, but shown in interest in accumulating their assets. They never have shown any interest in speeding up the execution to benefit to the state. The high-level expert committee appointed by the new government has found that Rs. 2400 crore illegal payments and irregularities in the work of the project by Mr Chandrababu regime. The huge amounts of kickbacks went into whose pockets will be known only by another high-level investigation. Any common man can understand that the previous government has been used for their own selfish purposes if we look at the points in the expert committee report.
TDP failed Polavaram Project
Only kickbacks work transferred to the state
Actually, the project should be completed by the Government of India. So far, all the national projects in the country have been rapidly completed by the centre. But the state government was then a friend of the BJP. As a result, Mr Chandrababu Naidu put pressure on the centre and was taken over implementing the project by the State government. The agreement have been done to render the funds to the State government by the centre. This has easily reduced the burden of the central government. The GOI stated that the funding will be only of the construction work and not for land acquisition and rehabilitation etc. Chandrababu then agreed to the GoI’s conditions to benefit out of the project for his close associates. If the work was fully implemented by the Government of India, it would naturally have been the responsibility of land acquisition and rehabilitation. This is the reason for the corruption of the government is the main reason for the damage. If the works were taken under the state Government, they could gain an incarnation as sub-contractors and can benefit from the directly making bills in payment. This is the reason the crisis of today is completely the result of past TDP government’s malicious intentions.
Why no enquiry?
The new government has appointed a high-level expert committee to examine the allegations of irregularities and irregularities and including to find out the delay in execution of the Polavaram Project. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has alleged during the general elections that the project has become an ATM to the Telugu Desam government and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Prime minister also alleged that Mr Chandrababu Naidu and his close associates given the importance to acquire the assets in the backdrop of the national project. In this backdrop, the new government appointed a committee of experts and the committee submitted the report to substantiate the allegations made by the Prime Minister. If we look at the contents of the report, one can have the impression that the TDP government has used this project as an ATM. Not only the snail pace project works, delayed the benefits to the farmers and also increased the costs and paid the additional payments to the contractors. The TDP government also changed the rules and regulations in favour of cabinet resolutions. The main works in the project have been directly assigned to the nomination method. Thousands of crores of rupees have been paid on a nomination method. The yellow media indirectly and directly support to the benefit of their own. It has been possible for the Telugu Desam government to transfer the thousands of crores of works from a contractor to their benami contractor. At that time, the central government also cooperated fully. The prime minister, who accused him of using Polavaram as an ATM, ignored the fact that the central government led by him was cooperating for the misuse. At the same time, the government has the power to investigate irregularities even now. As the project is being recognized as a national project by the Center, the Government of India has enough powers to investigate irregularities in the cases of illegal payments. But the central government has so far made no such an attempt.
Even though the expert committee report specifically mentioned the irregularities, the central government indirectly supporting the Telugu Desam Party. The important leaders of the TDP joined the BJP, especially Rajya Sabha members. Thus, BJP’s strength increased in the upper house. Chandrababu has wisely advised the MPs to join the BJP, so that will not face any problems from the centre, such as it, ED and CBI. In the same way, the centre does not have any say on Polavaram illegal payments. There is no cooperation from the Centre for the new government’s measures to save people’s money by speeding up the work through reverse tendering and reducing the burden on the government.
TDP leaders are Benami contractors
In the Polavaram Project, the bills must be paid as per the old SSR. But considering the 2015-16 SSR, the government has broadened by Rs. 1331 crore. Similarly, interest in the mobilization advances to be received from the main contractor has not been charged to the extent of 84.43 crores so far. The wonder of all irregularities is that, Under the cost of petty expenses, the contractor has paid 142 crores. A total of 2400 crores was paid additionally in all the works related to the project. The former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is responsible for all this. The works of the project were built by the sub-contractor, a close associate and the Rajya Sabha member CM Ramesh’s company Triveni, who known as the main benami of Chandrababu Naidu. Putta Sudhakar Yadav, a close relative of former finance minister Yammala Ramakrishna, has got the hundred’s crore works in the project. As finance minister Yanamala used to clear the company’s bills immediately. Putla Sudhakar Yadav gets Rs. 142 crores worth of works in left canal fifth package and Rs.179 crores of works in the sixth package has been handed over to TDP leader Bulusu Sudhakara Rao. Chandrababu’s Benami MP, CM Ramesh’s (now he is in the BJP), Triveni company awarded the highest Rs. 1708 crore worth of headworks and earthworks.
Polavaram’s right canal’s six and seven packages were handed over to TDP ex-MLA Bollineni Krishnaiah company BSPCHL. The worth of these works is about 286 crores. Rs. 103 crore works were handed over to Surya Constructions Srinivasa Rao. These are the officially visible companies on papers. The rumours there about unofficial companies involved in the project works. The Committee of Experts has found that there are irregularities from the beginning of the Polavaram Project. In its report, the Committee stated that the mobilization advance payments were being made as they wish and the earthwork was not recorded in M book.
The mystery behind bill payments
The government has also made payments to test the quality of the material required for the project construction. However, as per the norms, the laboratory must be set up to check the quality. But, there is no such laboratory established. But, the company declared that they established the laboratory. Cement and other material bought by the contract firms and the bills were paid by department wise. Even these payments were received later from the contractor, this process is completely against the government’s policy and contractual terms. There is a perfect example of extreme corruption is that the government shown the SE as a kitchen in-charge as appointed by the contractor. This is strange. On that day, Rs. 44,23,981 were paid as advance. This is another example of corruption. A huge amount of advance was paid to the weekly ration. On September 25, 2017, Rs. 44,23,981 was paid as advance. The advance was paid to the material. The new contractor was paid exclusively under the revolving fund to buy diesel. From the main contractor, TransStroy has arrears of Rs. 144.22 crore in imprest account. No action has been taken to recover this amount. The water resources department should take steps to ensure the recovery of this amount. No attempt has been made to recover through the RR act. These are just a few examples of the violation and exploitation of the regulations in the Polavaram Dande made by TDP leaders in the abduction of power.
