Hyderabad: Former minister and BRS senior leader T Harish Rao demanded that the state government release a white paper on the total expenditure and estimates for the Musi river beautification project.
During the Question Hour in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, he criticised the government for making “contradictory” statements about the project’s cost, saying, “At one point, the chief minister said it would cost Rs 1 lakh crore; at another, Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The government must clarify the actual figure.”
Harish Rao questions priorities of state govt
Harish Rao questioned how the government could allocate such a massive budget for this project while citing a lack of funds for essential welfare schemes.
“When scholarships for students or retirement benefits for employees are requested, the government says it has no money. Then how can it suddenly afford to spend lakhs of crores on Musi beautification?” he asked.
Harish Rao raises concerns about displacement
Raising concerns about displacement, he sought details on how many houses were demolished so far under the project and whether affected families had been duly compensated.
“Under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, each family is entitled to Rs 14.5 lakh, besides an R&B valuation of their house and an alternative 200-square-yard residential plot with saleable rights. Have these been provided or not? And if promised, when will they be given?” he asked.
He further demanded clarity on how much government and private land is being acquired and how many structures have been identified for demolition.
On 2.5 TMC water release plans
Harish Rao also questioned the source of the two-and-a-half TMCs of water the government plans to release into the Musi. “Is it being brought from the Mallanna Sagar reservoir under the Kaleshwaram project, or elsewhere? The government must specify this,” he said.
Harish Rao warns against house demolition
Warning against the demolition of houses of the poor, the former minister asserted that the BRS would strongly oppose any such move. “If the government targets poor families in the name of Musi beautification, we will resist. We are ready to stand in front of bulldozers if needed,” he declared.
Harish Rao urged the government to utilise vacant lands available along the river for works instead of displacing weaker sections. “Take up the Musi beautification works on empty government lands. Don’t touch the homes of the poor,” he said.
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