Telangana govt objects to Polavaram irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad: In a tit for tat move, the Telangana state government has objected to the construction of the Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh, following the objections it faced from Amaravati to certain river projects.
The state government alleged the “national project” was constructed without permission and would submerge the famed Sitaramaswamy temple in Bhadrachalam and affect lakhs of Adivasis if its height was not reduced.
TRS MP Prof. Seetaram Naik raised the issue in the Lok Sabha amid the din over demonetisation on Wednesday, and requested the Centre to at least see that the height of the dam was reduced. The AP government in the past has objected to the Palamur lift irrigation scheme and other projects in TS.
“We are not against project, but we want the height of the dam be reduced as it will submerge the Ram mandir at Bhadrachalam and affected lakhs of Advasis in seven mandals which were merged with AP. The AP government was going ahead with the project and wanted to complete the project by hook or crook,” he said.
Prof. Naik said though it was labelled a national project, it had not got permission and the issue was pen-ding with the National Green Tribunal. BJD MPs from Odisha objected to the construction of the project since it displaces 2 lakh Adivasis in that state. They alleged that the project was taken up without holding grama sabhas in Chhattisgarh and Odisha villages.
The Rs 30,000-crore multipurpose Polavaram project is designed to provide irrigation to 4.36 lakh hectares annually. The planned height of the project is proposed to be increased from 150 ft to 186 feet and will submerge 57,461 hectares in three Andhra Pradesh (38,694 hectares) and the rest in Chhattisgarh and Odisha and displace 44,574 families.
The Centre said the project would be taken up. Union minister Y.S. Chowdary said the National Agriculture Bank for Rural Development will release first installment of the loan amounting to Rs 2,981 crore for the project, which is slated to be completed by 2018.
