In Hyderabad HC, Telangana defends decision to cancel Dummugudem project

Hyderabad: The TS government has defended its decision of not going ahead with the Jyothi Rao Pule Dummugudem-Nagarjunasagar tailpond project before the Hyderabad High Court.

The government filed an affidavit pursuant to the direction of the court on a petition by one N. Dolendra Prasad of Nellore, challenging the decision of the government to scrap the project and also cancel all tenders invited for its execution.

The government issued GOs in October 2015 scrapping the project and cancelling tenders awarded to 10 companies for the project.

The petitioner contended that the decision to shut down the project which would have benefitted both AP and TS was unilateral and without application of mind.

In its reply, the TS government told the court that the tenders were cancelled after it was noticed by a three-member committee that none of the 10 companies completed the works in accordance with the condition specified under the tender notification.

The committee submitted a report stating that contractor companies failed in meeting the tender conditions. The tenders were cancelled based on this report.

The government brought to the notice of the court that the project was proposed before bifurcation of AP, and after Telangana came into being, there was a change in its water requirements.

The government refuted the contention that the decision was against the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 and said that it has every right to take decisions in the interest of the state. The government urged the court to turn down the plea as it was moved with political interest.