Hyderabad: Though the Godavari Pushkaralu, scheduled between July 14 and July 25, is just a month away, the Telangana state government has completed only 65 per cent of the works so far. With the onset of the monsoon, the works pertaining to the construction of the bathing ghats, laying of roads and other facilities have been disrupted.
Out of the 79 new ghats being constructed, only 14 have been completed so far and the rest are under various stages of construction. Earlier, during the 2003 Pushkaralu, there were 27 ghats in Telangana. The Telangana state government decided to increase the number to 106.
The government plans to complete the remaining 35 per cent of the works by June 30. However, this looks like a Herculean task due to the rains. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who made the first Godavari Pushkaralu in TS a prestige issue, decided to hold them along the lines of the Kumbh Mela and directed the officials to complete the works accordingly.
However, the ground reality is discouraging. The works were grounded in March this year and gained pace only by April. From August 2014 to January 2015, officials were just preparing proposals on expenditure. The works were grounded after A. Indrakaran Reddy took charge as the endowments minister in January.
Mr Reddy sent a Detailed Project Report to the Centre in January stating that Rs 700 crore would be required to conduct the Pushkaralu and sought financial assistance. The government was waiting for the Central funds all these months, but to its shock, it got only Rs 50 crore. Meanwhile, AP was given Rs 100 crore. The TS government then started on its own, and it has released over Rs 570 crore so far from the funds allotted in the Budget to panchayat raj, roads and buildings and irrigations departments.
“Construction of the bathing ghats, dress changing rooms, toilets and laying of roads are the most important components of Pushkaralu. We have completed 65 per cent of the works so far. We have expedited the works and are confident of completing the remaining 35 per cent works by June 30. We could not complete the works due to the delay in commencement of works and unseasonal rains during April/ May,” said Mr Reddy.
Accusing the Centre of discriminating against the TS in allotment of funds, he said, “While the Godavari passes through 400 km in five districts of Telangana, the Centre gave only Rs 50 crore to us. On the other hand, AP, which has just 130 km of the river, got Rs 100 crore. Is this not discrimination? We have taken up the issue with the Centre and are awaiting a positive response.”
