Efforts on get national status for Polavaram project: AP CM

Hyderabad, Feb 3 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister NKiran Kumar Reddy today said his Government today is makingsincere efforts to get national status for the Polavaramirrigation project in West Godavari district.

The multi-purpose project has already secured a numberof permissions from the Centre and the state government isleaving no stone unturned to get the national status for theproject, he said, addressing a public meeting in West Godavariwhere he participated in the Rachabanda'' programme.

He visited stalls and addressed a public meeting anddistributed assets at Chintalapudi Junior College Grounds.

The Chief Minister later attended the Rachabanda''(village junction) programme in Madaka Village, Pedana Mandal,Krishna district and addressed a public meeting atAgricultural Market Committee Grounds, Pedana.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the State Governmentwould take all necessary steps to protect the AP''s interestsover the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal verdict.

The government would appoint top lawyers to argue thestate''s case in the Supreme Court, Reddy said.

Main Opposition TDP and former MP Jagan Mohan Reddyhave alleged that the tribunal''s verdict, as per which the APhad no right on surplus Krishna water, was against thestate''s interests.

Jagan undertook a fast in Delhi on January 11 tohighlight the alleged adverse impact of the verdict on thefarmers of the state.

"Rachabanda'' was held at 1,566 places throughout theState today - 616 places in coastal AP, 285 in Rayalaseema,665 places in Telangana, officials said. .