AP Minister for Water Resources, Ambati Rambabu, took strong exception to his critics on his knowledge in irrigation projects and water resources. He admitted that he has no technical knowledge of the water resources and the irrigation projects. However, he said he has the basic knowledge and common sense to understand the issues.

He was reacting to the criticism of former TDP minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, who alleged that the Minister doesn’t know the basics of irrigation projects and wondered how he would handle the prestigious Polavaram Project.

Ambati Rambabu said that Devineni Umamaheswara Rao’s comments were uncalled for and derogatory. He said that a minister doesn’t need to be a technical expert. “The health minister doesn’t perform surgeries in the hospitals,” the minister said.

While promising to acquire technical knowledge about the irrigation projects soon, the minister advised them to stop making it an issue. He said that not many politicians have technical knowledge of the portfolios they hold in democracy.

The Minister dared the TDP leader to explain why the TDP regime did not complete the Polavaram project by December 2018 as claimed on the floor of the Assembly. He said Devineni Umamaheswara Rao had announced in the Assembly that the Polavaram Project would be completed by December 2018 and asked the former minister to explain why they could not complete it.

Ambati Rambabu blamed the TDP regime for their improper handling of the Polavaram Project. He said that the TDP had spent Rs 400 crore on diaphragm wall construction, but forgot to have a spillway to take the flood waters. Due to this, he said that the diaphragm wall was damaged and is now being looked into by the experts from the Central government.