VIJAYAWADA: Wide criticism is going on in the social media over the huge expenditure by the government on Krishna Pushkaralu. Netizens have been expressing their anguish over the government decision to spend Rs 2,000 crore for the river fest. Meanwhile, political parties also have been demanding the state government to release a white paper on the expenditure for Krishna Pushkaralu. Several netizens have posed logical questions to the state government as to how it could spend huge funds for a religious river fest in the guise of sentiments.
To build the image of the capital, the government might have given wide publicity and spent huge funds, according to Mahesh Chandra, a netizen. He also asked as to what was the scientific criteria in organising the fest in such a large scale and as to how the government has ignored the e.coli bacteria angle and also the pollutants released at the NTPC, Ibraheempatnam, into the River Krishna.
One Punna Krishna Murthy, a softare professional, has asked the state government to conduct a social audit on the entire expenditure spent on various works, as lot many allegations have been coming. Several other netizens also have endorsed his observations in the form of likes and posted their comments posing questions to the government to come out clean. “Nothing should be hidden in a democracy,” V. Vamseekrishna, another netizen tweeted.
Meanwhile, PCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy has asked the government to release a white paper on the funds spent on Krishna Pushkaralu. “The Chief Minister has extended invitations to several VIPs to attend Pushkaralu,” he said, and added that a very few have responded to his invitation. He also asked as to what prompted the Chief Minister to go in for a special flight for this purpose.
CPM state secretary Penumalli Madhu lambasted the government that the entire administration was almost in a suspended animation for 45 days to conduct the 12-day river fest. “The government has to answer on all the allegations over the quality of works,” he demanded. CPI state secretary K. Ramakrishna has stated that the Telangana government has spent reasonable funds for the fest in their state, while it is very huge here in AP. The government has to clarify on the issue, he said.
