YSRCP Guntur district president and former minister Ambati Rambabu strongly condemned Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and TDP coalition government for not opposing the central government in its decision to reduce the Polavaram Project height from 45.72 meters to 41.15 meters stating this reduction would limit its benefits and reduce it to a mere barrage.
Speaking to the media in Gunter, the former minister highlighted that YSRCP had planned the Polavaram Project in two stages to reach the approved height of 45.57 meters, ensuring a water capacity of 194.6 TMC, as approved by the Public Investment Board (PIB). He warned that reducing the height would limit storage to 115.44 TMC, significantly diminishing its capacity for irrigation, drinking water, and power generation.
He said that this reduction in height is part of a larger conspiracy by the coalition government to sideline the project, just as Andhra Pradesh was previously denied Special Category Status, a move that also impacted the state’s development. He said Chandrababu Naidu is trying to shift blame onto YSRCP to cover up this compromise, further reducing the project’s scope for political advantage.
Ambati also challenged Irrigation Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu, urging him to secure official confirmation from either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the Union Minister of Water Resources about maintaining the project’s original height. He argued that a statement from central authorities supporting the full height of the project would bring clarity and transparency to the people of Andhra Pradesh, ensuring that the state’s needs are met.
Ambati stressed that Polavaram is a lifeline for Andhra Pradesh and should be completed to its full potential, as originally envisioned. Reducing its scope not only undermines the welfare of the state but also the vision of late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who initiated the project for the benefit of Andhra’s farmers and citizens. YSRCP, he affirmed, will continue to oppose any attempts to compromise the project’s scale and impact.