The price of onions in AP has touched Rs. 200 per kg. The government is giving subsidy onions at Rs 25 a kg and only one kg per person. Long queues of one to two kilometres are there at Rythu Bazars. TDP boss Chandrababu Naidu says that even these onions sold by Circar are nearly 40 per cent rotten. But, the government is not caring to monitor and ensure good supply. Naidu said that one man named Sambaiah died while waiting for onions at a queue at Gudiwada Rythu Bazar. There was no immediate medical help to Sambaiah when he collapsed at the queue.
Naidu said that Jagan Reddy was not showing any sensitivity to people’s problems. The YCP is not ready to discuss burning issues in the Assembly. Jagan Reddy preferred to make cheap comments during discussion on Disha killers. Naidu accused Speaker Tammineni Sitaram of not taking up discussions on people’s problems. He is not giving mike to TDP. Naidu said that he had no choice but to hold a press conference at his party office to raise burning problems as he was not being given mike in Assembly. Naidu recalled how YCP rowdies removed current for the house of a woman officer in Nellore. They even struck fear by threatening to release snakes into her house. Referring to MLA Anam comments, Naidu said that there is no sensitive government in AP.
Discussion on Krishna Water to Rayalaseema
At 2060 tmc ft water availability in the river, in 25% of the years undivided AP will get less than 811 tmc ft -- in which 11 tmc ft is return flows; and thus no surplus water. To compensate this deficit 150 tmc ft of water is allowed to store during surplus water years to meet the deficit to projects that were distributed 811 tmc ft. That means the project built for surplus water use, will not get water if the river flows are less than 2280 [2130 + 150] tmc ft. The Bachawat tribunal in lieu of 25% of the deficit years allowed undivided AP to utilize the flood waters over 811 tmc ft when they are available for drier areas. To utilize the flood water above 150 tmc ft when available, undivided AP government proposed 8 projects to meet the water needs in drier areas. These projects were allocated 227.5 tmc ft – 77 tmc ft for TS: S.L.B.C. = 30, Kalvakurthi = 25, Nettempadu = 22, [20 for Bhima Lift Irrigation under Krishna Delta Modernization Scheme], 150.5 to AP. Though these surplus water projects were proposed, NTR only laid foundations. Chandrababu again laid foundation stones over those of his father-in-law laid. He was interested only on watershed projects to get instant profits!!! The delay raised the cost of land acquisitions and construction costs by several times.
To take water to Chennai, NTR initiated Pothireddypadu with a capacity of 11000 cusecs – Tamil Nadu Government paid costs. Nagarjunsagar right and left canal Ayacattu utilized in excess of allocated water as this period was good rainfall period with more years with surplus water – this period was used by Brijeshkumar Tribunal. Because of this TDP leaders did not cared to take up surplus water projects. Also, mis-used water below dead storage in Srisailam.
Bachawat Tribunal suggested in their order that if necessary Government of India can appoint a second tribunal to look in to the matter after 2000 May 31 – Government of India appointed Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal on 2004 April 2. The Tribunal started its work on 2006 August. That means surplus water projects must have ready to utilize surplus water before May 31, 2000. The surplus water projects were initiated by Dr. YSR under Jalayagnam. Pothireddypadu initiated by NTR is not useful for taking water to Surplus water projects. Dr. YSR did this job.
Now Chandrababu tries to cover up his misdeeds by blaming Dr. YSR who has done pioneering work on irrigation projects for undivided AP.
Dr. S. Jeevananda Reddy