The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : `Steel plant' twist to Pothireddypadu

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Monday, May 07, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

`Steel plant' twist to Pothireddypadu

Special Correspondent

Project may not be for irrigation: PJR

P. Janardhan Reddy

HYDERABAD: Raking up the controversial Pothireddypadu reservoir issue yet again, Congress MLAs P. Janardhan Reddy and M. Sashidhar Reddy on Sunday alleged that the frenetic pace of work at the project site was only to facilitate uninterrupted water supply to the proposed steel plant in Kadapa district.

Addressing a press conference here, the two Congress leaders stepped their tirade against the Chief Minister. Mr. Sashidhar Reddy wondered whether the proposed Rs.4,500-crore steel plant for which a MoU would be signed on May 14 could get assured water. "We suspect that the Government wants to complete the Pothireddypadu works on war footing only to enable full water supply to the steel plant," he said. He drew a parallel with the Yeleru reservoir, which was constructed to supply water to Visakhapatnam Steel plant.

Farmers of Telangana and Coastal Andhra are perturbed at the developments, as they fear that the steel plant would utilise the water meant to irrigate their regions. "Such a move is not proper," he said. Instead the Government should come up with a viable mechanism to take floodwater to Rayalaseema without affecting other regions.

Mr. Janardhan Reddy charged that Government was determined to divert assured Krishna water to Rayalaseema. Such actions alienated the Congress from the people. He reiterated his demand that a weir be constructed for taking surplus water. If the Government continued its anti-people actions, the party would face an uphill task in the 2009 elections, he said and noted that seniors in the party would not keep quiet if the party's interests were at stake.

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