The NDA government at the Centre appears to be terribly upset with the decision of YSR Congress party government headed by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to go in for “reverse tendering” of balance works on Polavaram project.
Despite objections raised by the Polavaram Project Authority (a wing of the Union water resources ministry) at an emergency meeting held on August 13 over Jagan’s decision to terminate the contract given to Navayuga Engineering and go in for fresh tenders, the state government announced its decision to call for commencement of reverse tendering process on Saturday.
This has angered the PPA authorities. On Friday night, PPA chairman R K Jain wrote a strongly-worded letter to irrigation secretary stating that the Jagan government’s decision to call for fresh tenders for the completion of Polavaram balance works was unnecessary.
“There is neither enough ground nor any necessity for pre-closure of tenders and re-tendering of project works. Such a decision will plunge the project into uncertainty,” he said and suggested that the entire process be stopped or at least kept in abeyance till the Centre takes a decision.
However, Jagan has decided to go ahead with the tenders and might issue the fresh tender notification later in the evening. The department has already issued guidelines for reverse tendering process.