AP Minister Devineni Uma Scheme To Lift More Than Just Irrigation Water

Amaravati: AP irrigation minister Devineni Uma is at it once again, according to latest media reports. In a fresh instance, contracts were awarded to handpicked contractors through a nomination process, though there was no hydrology clearance, bypassing all norms. In the process, the minister reportedly cast his eye on Rs.85 crore as kickbacks. The project in question is Kotapadu-Chanubanda-Visannapeta lift irrigation.

Though there was no clearance from the hydrology wing, the minister gave a nod to irrigate 50,000 acres through lift irrigation. The cost of the work was enhanced from Rs.3 25 crores to rupees for 95 crores and a tender notification was issued through the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode, media reports added. Thus handpicked contractors were given the works and the ground was reportedly set for kickbacks to the tune of Rs.85 crores.

At the centre of this massive scam in lift irrigation is the minister in question, Devineni Uma. The lift irrigation project, Kotapadu-Chanubanda-Visannapeta, okayed by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, is the eye of this storm.

In 2008, at an estimated cost of Rs.1700.57 crore the government took up the Chintalapudi lift irrigation scheme to irrigate two lakh acres in West Godavari district from the Godavari River with 15.50 TMC of water. On September 3, 2016 the government of Andhra Pradesh gave its nod to enhance the capacity to 50 TMC and irrigate 2.8 lakh acres in West Godavari and Krishna districts under Nagarjunasagar Left Canal. The estimated cost was enhanced to Rs.4,909 crores.

Without taking up the Chintalapudi lift irrigation scheme which would have irrigated 4.80 lakh acres of Ayacut, water is being diverted from the Polavaram right canal to Prakasam barrage. It is learnt that from there at a cost of Rs.6020 crores in the name of the first phase of Godavari-Penna rivers link up these works were taken up to divert water from Nagarjuna Sagar Right Canal.

While anti-incumbency against the ruling party has hit an all-time high in Krishna district, it has reached its zenith in Mylavaram constituency represented by minister Devineni Uma. Irrigation department sources say that the minister got the lift irrigation scheme approved to pacify people in his constituency by supplying water through this scheme. In the process, they say that he will make a huge amount money by way of kickbacks.

The hydrology wing has not let lent its approval to the lift irrigation scheme but regardless of this fact, Devineni Uma is reportedly pushing for the project, sources say. The entire lift irrigation project can be completed with Rs 325 crores. But a tender notification was issued estimating the cost at Rs 495 crores, according to sources.