Andhra Pradesh delaying joint survey on Polavaram, says Telangana govt

State government urged the Central Water Commission to direct the concerned to commence the survey with or without the involvement of AP

Hyderabad: Stating that the Andhra Pradesh government was delaying the joint survey on the backwater effect of the Polavaram project in Telangana, the State government urged the Central Water Commission (CWC) to direct the concerned to commence the survey with or without the involvement of AP under the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) within the time frame fixed by the Supreme Court.

Telangana Engineering-in-Chief C Muralidhar on Monday wrote a letter to the CWC chairman asking him to intervene in the issue and take up the survey of the backwaters immediately.

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Though two weeks had passed since the data was furnished by AP, there was no response from that State nor from PPA, he said, adding that Monsoon would be hitting the State in next 25 days, hence it was necessary that the survey be completed before its arrival.

Stating that an area of 954.15 acres would be coming under submergence under Full Reservoir Level(FRL) condition of Polavaram project, he urged the PPA to immediately start ground-truthing for taking up suitable protection measures as per Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal Authority provisions.

He further stated that there was a need to address issue of demarcation of areas affected due to the drainage congestion of Kinnerasani & Mureddu Vagu Rivers as per CWC report consequent to National Green Tribunal orders. Muralidhar also urged the CWC to take up ground-truthing of areas coming under submergence due to FRL condition in 7 major identified local streams for taking suitable protection measures and subsequently, similar such exercise needs to be extended for the remaining 30 local streams.

He brought to the notice that there was a need to check verification of important levels in Bhadrachalam town, including 8 outfall sluices, & historic Srirama Temple, and near (Manuguru) Heavy Water Plant by undertaking joint survey immediately.