Amravati: The representatives of farmers and water users’ associations and the Telugu Desam Party leaders on Monday have decided to launch a legal struggle against the non-payment of bills for the ‘Neeru Chettu’ works by the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government.
The TDP accused the government of withholding the bills to be paid for the ‘Neeru Chettu’ project completed under the previous government, and compared it to non-payment of bills for projects completed under NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act).
The opposition party, in a media statement, alleged that workers involved in those projects are subjected to harassment, and that their bills were not paid despite court orders. The TDP leaders, chairmen of project committees, and distributary committees took part in the meeting, which was presided by Water Users Associations Federation President Alla Gopala Krishna, added the release.
They have planned to collect all the pending bills at the village level from all those contractors under the Neeru Chettu works. The required documents would be gathered in order to seek justice in the court of law.
Expressing his views over the issue, former minister Devineni Umamaheshwar Rao said, “The Neeru Chettu works had helped in increasing the productivity of crops and recharge of the groundwater table. These works have also helped in providing fertile soil to the agriculture lands.”
Adding to the discussion, TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh remarked, “The farmers of Andhra Pradesh have suffered losses, by all means, possible ever since Jagan Mohan Reddy became the chief minister of the State.”
Lokesh further stated that it was “alarming” to know that Rs 1,277 crore worth of bills pertaining to ‘Neeru Chettu’ works have been pending in the CFMS system at the state level in the past two and half years.