The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Government says `no' to recording of minutes of meetings

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 25, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Government says `no' to recording of minutes of meetings

Special Correspondent

Debate a contrast to previous two rounds as spirit of bonhomie prevails

NO HARd FEELINGS: The TDLP deputy leader, Nagam Janardhan Reddy, sharing a lighter moment with the Major Irrigation Minister, Ponnala Laxmaiah, and the Technical Education Minister, N. Narasimha Reddy, outside the Jubilee Hall in Hyderabad on Sunday. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The open debates on irrigation projects took a curious turn here on Sunday when the exercise was undertaken on Janjhavathi with the Government rejecting outright a demand by the Telugu Desam to record the minutes of the meetings.

The debate was a contrast to the two earlier ones, as a spirit of bonhomie prevailed between Government and Opposition teams throughout except in the end when tempers ran high.

Opposition experts like S. Maruthi of the TDP did not raise any serious query and even complimented the Government. He said there was competition in tender process devoid of syndicates, thereby endorsing the awarding of the project's two packages costing Rs. 20.79 crores and Rs. 36.6 crores to Siddharta & Swapna Constructions and R&N Shetty & Co.

Indicating a changed atmosphere, the Major Irrigation Minister, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, was seen having a banter with the TDLP deputy leader, N. Janardhan Reddy, in the lawns of Jubilee Hall.

Laudatory gesture

P. Sitapati Rao, irrigation advisor, thanked Mr. Maruti not only for his laudatory gesture but also for his offer to cooperate in getting clearance from Orissa.

As soon as the debate began, Mr. Maruthi wanted the minutes to be recorded and copies regarding the earlier two meetings furnished to the opposition parties.

Mr. Sitapati Rao came out with a blunt `no,' saying that recording was `not relevant' and `unnecessary' as people followed the proceedings on TV and press reports.

Protest

However, Mr. Maruti protested saying it was `autocratic.' The moderator, S. Nagabushana Rao, said, he had no say in this. The Minister who spoke to reporters later criticised Mr. Maruthi for being cynical on rubber dam to be used for the project after having visited Austria to negotiate for the very benefit while serving the Government earlier.

Mr. Maruthi and T. Venkatesam of the BJP dubbed "waste," the rubber dam and the lift used temporarily to benefit to 9,000 acres pending completion of the dam after Orissa clearance. They termed "bad," the use of EPC mode for a project taken up on piecemeal basis.

Mr. Rao replied that the rubber dam and the lift would be shifted to other sites later. He rejected the plea for enhanced R&R payment to the displaced, saying it was a "settled issue."

Maruthi insists on furnishing copies of previous two meetings.