Senior Congress leader K Keshav Rao on Sunday hailed Union Minister for Environment and Forestry Jairam Ramesh's comments about the Polavaram irrigation project. The Union Minister had earlier said that the cited project will not be passed unless the resettlement and rehabilitation works are taken up simultaneously with the dam construction.
Talking to mediapersons at his residence in Banjara Hills, the former Congress Working Committee member said that the Union Minister had rightly pointed out that the resettlement of project victims should be taken up simultaneously with the construction work.
Referring to Jairam Ramesh's statement about the rehabilitation of 1,70,000 people living in 4 villages of Orissa and parts of Chhattisgarh, Keshav Rao said, "The respective governments should conduct a public hearing, and ensure that a consensus is reached on the rehabilitation issue."
Rao said that he is counting on the Congress High Command to announce a clear decision on Telangana formation after elections to the Assemblies of 5 states.
Referring to Andhra Pradesh In-Charge for Party Affairs, Ghulam Nabi Azad, calling MPs from the state to meet on March 22nd and March 23rd, the senior leader stated that he will attend the meeting to express his views on Telangana.
Talking about a section of Congress leaders resorting to cross-voting in the Legislative Council elections, Keshav Rao said that the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) will initiate serious disciplinary action against those leaders for their anti-party activities.
Responding to alleged violation of rules in the allotment of lands for various Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state, the senior Congress leader stated that if the state of affairs continues like this, then the day is not very far when the entire Andhra Pradesh will be sold to the SEZs.