Slams Govt over zero progress in Rs 10 Cr project

Lokesh to CM: Supply water to Mangalagiri-AIIMS

No basic infrastructure provided in past 2 years

Mangalagiri AIIMS could not help in AP Covid drive

AMARAVATI: TDP National General Secretary and MLC Nara Lokesh on Wednesday urged Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy to resolve the problem of water supply to the Mangalagiri-AIIMS on a priority basis and in the best interests of the patients, faculty and medical students.

Mr. Lokesh wrote a letter to the Chief Minister, stating that water supply to AIIMS was an urgent issue to be addressed without any further delay. For the past two years, there was zero progress in the Rs. 10 Cr project which was approved in 2017 to augment water supply to AIIMS here. Administrative sanctions were also given to this in 2018 itself.

Decrying the Government's 'negligence', Mr. Nara Lokesh said that the Jagan Reddy regime had failed to provide even basic infrastructure facilities for prestigious hospital. The people were alarmed by the long-delayed water supply works to AIIMS Mangalagiri. The ₹10 crores project had been approved in 2017 to supply Krishna water to this critical institution. It was taken up at the Collectorate-level through 2018. However, over the past two years, there has been a shocking lack of progress on providing this basic facility to make AIIMS fully functional.

Mr. Lokesh said: "I am saddened to note that such water scarcity ended up preventing AIIMS Mangalagiri from being at the forefront of AP’s fight against COVID-19. As you are well aware, AIIMS Mangalagiri is one of only two such institutions in South India. So, it is important not just for Telugu students but for the entire South India. However, the present government has continued to neglect its development."

Mr. Lokesh said that basic infrastructure, such as provision of sand, construction of approach road linking NH-16 and the campus, and providing water supply from Krishna remained incomplete. This affected the functioning of the faculty, students, and the hospital. Water was being procured by tanks in the short-term.

Seeking immediate action, Mr. Lokesh reminded the CM that the AIIMS Director had urged the Government to assist with this issue, by ensuring water supply with a pipeline from either Mangalagiri or Tenali canal. Despite the existence of plans, GO, and official cognizance of this problem, the state government continued to be apathetic. As was stressed upon earlier, the importance of AIIMS to the economy of Mangalagiri and the wider VGTM region cannot be stressed enough.

Mr. Lokesh said that the Govrnment should prioritize the completion of Mangalagiri-AIIMS and ensure its smooth running as soon as possible. The CM should look into this issue on a prompt basis and direct officials to provide funds where necessary.