Delhi HC directs Jal Shakti Ministry to act on Polavaram corruption

New Delhi: Delhi High Court directed Union Jal Shakti Ministry to consider the Writ Petition filed before it by Dr Pentapati Pulla Rao. The petition seeks a CBI inquiry into massive corruption, illegalities and deviations in the execution of Polavaram Project and to take necessary action on it.

The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Narendrabhai Patel and Justice Harishankar gave this direction on Wednesday. The counsel for the petitioner, Karanam Sravan Kumar, submitted that there are significant irregularities in Polavaram project and that it lacked transparency. He also complained that the Union of India is not taking any action on the allegations of massive corruption and severe illegalities in the execution of the project. Sravan submitted that the cost of the project had been increased from Rs 16,100 crores to Rs 58,000 crores and CAG’s reports on corruption have also been ignored.

After hearing the counsel for the petitioner, the Bench asked Union Jal Shakti Ministry as to why it was not taking any action on the allegations of petitioner. Responding to the query, advocate for Union of India and Polavaram Project Authority said the issue pertains to Andhra Pradesh, and hence this court does not have any jurisdiction. The Bench rejected this stand. It directed the ministry to treat this petition as a complaint and take action after hearing the petitioner as expeditiously as possible.