CHENNAI: Senior DMK leader and former PWD Minister, Mr. Durai Murugan on Thursday expressed skepticism over the Chief Minister, Mr. Edappadi K Palaniswami’s recent announcement that the Kandaleru-Poondi lap of the canal that brings Krishna waters to Chennai from Andhra Pradesh, will have a new pipeline to transport the water from ‘zero point’ on Tamil Nadu border to Poondi reservoir as that section of the canal suffered damages frequently.
In a statement here, Durai Murugan wondered whether the scheme was feasible at all. He pointed out that when late Sathya Sai Baba had offered through his Trust to set right the Kandaleru-Poondi canal with fresh cement lining some years ago, in the interests of the population of Chennai dependent on Krishna waters , it was the AIADMK government that had turned down the scheme.
Now, the present AIADMK government was suggesting laying a pipeline between Kandaleru and Poondi at an estimated cost of `3,000 crore, a figure cited by civil engineers. The cost would have been much lower if the AIADMK regime had then accepted Sathya Sai Baba's proposal, said Durai Murugan. Asking how the pipeline scheme would be feasible, Durai Murugan wondered whether there was any other motive to the Chief Minister's suggestion now.
