Ordinance on Polavaram project defended by government

The government Thursday defended its move to clear an ordinance concerning the Polavaram irrigation project, saying there had been broad political support on the issue when the process was expedited for creating a separate state of Telangana.

"There is no controversy on the subject. The issue was decided earlier," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said here in response to questions from media persons.

He said the cabinet had approved the recommendations of the home ministry, adding that the decision was taken during the United Progressive Alliance government.

"We have fulfilled the promise made both by BJP and Congress. There is no controversy. We stand for justice to Telangana and Seemandhra," Naidu said.

The Telegana Rashtra Samithi had called for day-long shutdown Thursday to protest the central government's ordinance to hand over 200 villages of Telangana to Andhra Pradesh for the Polavaram irrigation project.

The shutdown was called by TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, also Telangana's chief minister-designate, to protest the ordinance issued by the central government to transfer 205 villages of Khammam district of Telangana to Andhra Pradesh.

Chandrasekhar Rao termed the ordinance unconstitutional and said the central government cannot take such a step without consulting the two states, which will formally come into being June 2.