Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 23: Polavaram, A Perfect Example Of TDP’s Loot Mindset 

2 Dec, 2017 17:27 IST|Sakshi
YS Jagan during his Praja Sankalpa Yatra at Pattikonda 

December 1, Pattikonda, Kurnool District:

Today's Praja Sankalpa Yatra focused on the area that comes under Pattikonda Assembly Constituency. Poverty was visible every step of the way. The constituency it appears, is light years away from development. This is the most backward region in the district and is known for drought, starvation and the migration of workers. It is prone to acute irrigation and drinking water shortage. What is most striking is the neglect of this region by the authorities.

According to the 2015 CESS-Unicef report, Pattikonda stands 44th among the 175 assembly constituencies in the state in terms of drinking water availability. People from such backward areas can only turn to the government for help. Exploiting their helplessness, self-seeking leaders make false promises at the time of the election only to forget them conveniently once they come to power. As a result, this region has remained backward with no trace of development.

But, Pattikonda has a hoary history. It is worth recalling that Ashoka, the great Mauryan emperor, and the illustrious British administrator, Sir Thomas Munro are among those who ruled over this region. But today, this area is reeling under acute water shortage. It is extremely backward in terms of education and health, as well. In every model school, there is a glaring lack of amenities. The less said about the ZP schools, the better. There are no toilets in many schools. Dilapidated school buildings haven't seen repairs in years. The school labs are in a state of complete neglect. At the cost of Government schools, the Chandrababu Naidu dispensation has been promoting the corporate education mafia. It is a widely-known fact that this mafia consists of Chandrababu's proxies. Every Government hospital is facing acute shortage of staff, medicines and equipment. The ones which are available are sub-standard medicines. Deep-rooted corruption plagues diagnostic facilities.

My late father wanted to fill Pandikona, Krishnagiri reservoir and other water tanks with the water from the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi scheme, mainly to transform the lives of the people of this region. An estimated 85 per cent of the project work had been completed but the Chandrababu Naidu Government is indifferent when it comes to the completion of the rest of the project. This apathy is rooted in the fact that this Government views irrigation projects as money-spinners for the rulers and their henchmen and not as symbols of progress and prosperity.

Polavaram is a live example of this loot mindset. My father had initiated work on Polavaram as it would prove to be a lifeline for the state. But such an important project has now become a victim of Chandrababu Naidu's greed and corruption. A big question mark hangs over the fate of this prestigious national project. When rulers view irrigation projects, health and education as money-spinners and not as drivers of growth and development, progress takes a back seat.

Here's my question to the Chief Minister. You had recently announced that the state is at the top of the chart in the educational sector. But, how can the state progress in education if the government schools and model schools present a picture of utter neglect with no facilities worth the name and without any infrastructure? How can the state move in the fast lane in education when teachers are not paid their salaries? While you claim that you have been inviting prestigious institutions of higher learning to the state, you are weakening the very foundations of primary education. By doing this, whose interests are you trying to serve?

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