Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

TDP instigating ryots against Jindal: Minister

Staff Reporter

`Project will benefit Vizianagaram district'

VISAKHAPATNAM: Minister for Housing Botcha Satyanarayana on Saturday decried Telugu Desam Party and others for instigating farmers to raise objections at the public hearing held at Boddavara village near S. Kota on Jindal's 1.4 million tonne alumina refinery project.

"Farmers from Thatipudi, Raiwada and Chilakalagedda ayacut were mobilised in large numbers for the public hearing to protest by spreading apprehensions that water meant for irrigation will be diverted for the Jindal project," he told reporters here.

The Minister said that the TDP should be given the credit for taking up the Godavari water diversion project under a special purpose vehicle named Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Company.

"When the Jindal management sought water from Thatipudi, Raiwada or Chilakalagedda, the Government stated that it was not possible. Later, they agreed to take 8 mgd from the Godavari project by laying a dedicated pipeline at an estimated cost of Rs.86 crores," he said.

To a question, he said the clearance for Godavari waters was given at a meeting attended by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. "We are proud that Jindal is setting up an alumina project in backward Vizianagaram district. This will enable development of Vizianagaram as twin city of Visakhapatnam," he remarked.

The Minister denied the charge that it would destroy flora and fauna in the agency areas. Commenting on Rajiv Swagruha, he said the first phase would be launched in Nellore, Karimnagar and Guntur during this month. Mr. Satyanarayana said by 2009 Assembly elections, first phase of the project would be launched all the districtsOn Rajiv Gruhakalpa he said 64,000 houses would be built of which 4,800 built at Madhurawada would be handed over by December.

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