Polavaram Authorities to Demarcate Submergence of Areas in Telangana
AP Water Resources authorities maintain that the issue of submergence will arrive only once the water level in the Polavaram Dam reaches 45.72 metres under Phase -2 of the project.
Vijayawada: Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) is going to take up demarcation of areas vulnerable to submergence due to backwaters once the Polavaram Irrigation Project is fully completed. Telangana government has been demanding such demarcation in seven vulnerable areas. Accordingly, an agreement has been reached between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on PPA taking up the demarcation of areas likely to be submerged.
AP Water Resources authorities maintain that the issue of submergence will arrive only once the water level in the Polavaram Dam reaches 45.72 metres under Phase -2 of the project. There will be no submergence under Phase-1 of the project when the water level will be limited to 41.15 metres. AP authorities clarified that in case Godavari River witnesses heavy floods, there will be submergence of low-lying areas in parts of Telangana, irrespective of the construction of Polavaram project.
Whenever there is heavy rainfall and huge inflow of water into the Godavari River, causing it to reach flood levels, water streams in Telangana may not get emptied into the river whose level will be higher than the water level in the streams. This would result in submergence of low-lying areas as a natural phenomenon. Owing to these issues, a joint survey had been held earlier on submergence of parts of Telangana.
Based on directives of both the central government and the National Green Tribunal, AP government demarcated on maps the areas vulnerable to submergence in Kinnerasani and Mudderu streams. The Central Water Commission (CWC) has also studied these areas. Now, as the Telangana government has sought demarcation of seven areas prone to be flooded by the backwaters, the project authority will set up either pillars or some other physical marks in five vulnerable areas, as submergence levels have already been marked on paper in case of Kinnersani and Mudderu streams. Incidentally, the Polavaram Project Authority does not have adequate manpower and material. It is to be seen how it will take up demarcation of areas vulnerable to submergence in Telangana.
AP Water Resources engineer-in-chief K. Narasimha Murthy reiterated that the PPA will take up demarcation of areas that will submerge due to backwaters of Polavaram project in accordance with the understanding between AP and Telangana.