Andhra Pradesh   

YSR sets deadline for irrigation projects in A.P.

M. Malleswara Rao

Alisagar SE placed under suspension for `misleading' CM

KOSLI (NIZAMABAD DT): The countdown for providing water to 7.5 lakh acres from 17 out of the numerous irrigation projects taken up under `Jalayagnam' by July-end began at this desolate and naxalite-infested location on the bank of the Godavari on Sunday.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy announced the commencement of the countdown to fulfil his promise made in the Assembly 10 days ago and also clear doubts raised by the Opposition.

With the riverbank as the venue, "Jalayagnam," now into its 21st month, underwent a high-level review for the first time outside the State capital, by the Chief Minister participated by Collectors of 15 districts where work is in full swing on 11 major and six medium projects. Some 400 top officials from the Irrigation Department, the Pay & Accounts Office, the Transco which is to ensure power supply to these lift schemes, and engineers and contractors attended the review.

By this "never-before" meeting, Dr. Reddy said, he wanted to show to the world and the Opposition that the Government was determined to meet the deadline.

Tight security

The Chief Minister, who flew in here amid unprecedented security, inspected work on the Alisagar project before subjecting batches of officials, each representing a district, to gruelling questioning on how far their projects have progressed. He turned angry and suspended P. Subbaiah, SE, Alisagar, for telling a "lie" that the old canals which will carry Alisagar water to Nizamsagar, were also ready. The SE handed over files to another and went out when the Chief Minister said: "You can go."

The Chief Minister pulled up a few other SEs too, saying: "You can't give false replies with statistics just to satisfy us." He extracted a commitment from each group to meet the deadline and asked them to be prepared for suspension if they failed to do so. He warned of severe action if any irregularity was committed.

Dr. Reddy asked Collectors not to compromise on quality of works, and issued instructions for payment to the third parties appointed to assess quality by the Engineer-in-Chief and not at the local level. At the same time, he advised contractors to give a lifespan of 200 years for projects instead of being greedy for profits.

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