Expert panel returns Andhra’s Polavaram–Banakacherla link proposal

The Expert Appraisal Committee has returned Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram–Banakacherla Link Project proposal, citing legal and environmental concerns. It directed the State to consult the CWC and resolve inter-State issues before seeking clearance for an Environmental Impact Assessment study

Hyderabad: The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley Projects has returned the proposal for the Polavaram–Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP), citing serious legal and environmental concerns.

At its 33rd meeting, the EAC stated that environmental clearance cannot be granted at this stage. It directed the Andhra Pradesh government to consult the Central Water Commission (CWC) on floodwater availability and obtain necessary permissions before proceeding with any environmental assessments.

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The committee highlighted multiple objections, including the possibility that the project may violate the 1980 Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award. It emphasised the need for detailed scrutiny at the Central level and called for the CWC to examine inter-State issues and give the necessary clearances before terms of reference are framed for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study.

The proposed PBLP aims to divert 200 TMC of floodwater from the Polavaram Dam on the Godavari River to the Banakacherla Regulator on the Srisailam Right Main Canal, to cater to the water-deficit regions in Andhra Pradesh. However, the EAC observed that the parent Polavaram project itself remains under legal dispute due to submergence issues affecting parts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.