Telangana Congress asks Centre to take over Polavaram irrigation project

HYDERABAD: Fearing further submergence of land in Telangana state, change in design and ecological imbalance, the Telangana Congress has asked the Centre to take over the Polavaram irrigation project and not fund Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana Congress MLC P. Sudhakar Reddy said though the Centre declared the Polavaram project as a national project under the AP Reorganisation Act, it has empowered and allocated funds for the Andhra Pradesh government to construct the dam.

“Seven mandals have been submerged and there is a serious threat to Munuguru, Dummugudem and Bhadrachalam. Girijans are being dislocated from their natural habitat. The National Green Tribunal has issued stop work orders. The Centre must ensure proper implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013,” Mr Sudhakar Reddy said.

“The Andhra Pradesh government is not willing to hand over the project to the Centre for obvious reasons,” Mr Reddy added.