Vijayawada: Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has advised officials to take up execution of the Polavaram irrigation project works on a war footing so as to complete them expeditiously.
The CM reviewed the progress of the project works with chief secretary Adityanath Das, water resources secretary J. Shyamala Rao and other senior officials at his camp office here on Monday. He laid stress on completion of the cofferdam works by the end of May, and reviewed in detail the execution of all major components like spillway, approach channel, upstream cofferdam, earth-cum-rock-fill-dam and installation of gates to spillway.
The officials informed the CM that the spillway works were completed while the works relating to the installation of gates and cylinders to the spillway were in progress. The CM said once the works on the spill channel and approach channel are over, the cofferdam works must also to be completed.
The officials informed the CM that when the Godavari river gets flooded in the coming rainy season, the water would be released through the spillway. Jagan said efforts should be made to complete the cofferdam works by May end.
The officials explained how the construction of the cofferdam without completing the work on spillway caused flooding of several agency villages in the past rainy seasons and how the works on the project were taken up with no proper system and procedure. As gaps were left in the cofferdam, these caused soil erosion in gap-1 and gap 2 of ECRF dam when the river was flooded earlier. This had its impact on the pace of works at the spill channel.
The officials informed the CM that they were streamlining the works in a systematic manner so as to complete the works in an expeditious manner and avoid the flooding of the agency villages.
The officials ruled out any chance for reducing the height of the dam of the project, and referred to the clarification issued earlier by the Central Water Commission. Both the CWC and the Jal Shakthi had clarified that there was no plan for a reduction in the height of the Polavaram dam.
Later, the CM advised the officials to come up with proposals on interlinking of rivers like Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Penna and Cauvery, with stress on safeguarding the interests of the people and the state. He asked them to draft proposals with clarity and this could be sent to the Centre for approval.
YSR STATUE: The CM called for designs of the YSR statue project and said this must be environment friendly and cost less in terms of build and maintenance.
The plan is to set up a 100-feet tall statue of late chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy on G-Hill near the Polavaram project at Polavaram in West Godavari.
When the officials informed the CM about a master plan for the upcoming YSR Gardens at the project site, the CM asked the officials to do it in such a way that the ambience should be pleasant and look beautiful.
The officials informed the CM of proposals for the construction of a bridge near the project site downside and the development of a road connecting the bridge to the G-Hill for the benefit to visitors to reach the statue and the gardens. The CM responded to this positively.
