Telangana Jagruthi to hold roundtable on Polavaram backwater impact, Bhadrachalam temple concerns

Telangana Jagruthi to host a roundtable on Friday to address Polavaram backwater impact and loss of Bhadrachalam temple land due to post-bifurcation village mergers, ahead of the PM’s inter-State meeting on June 25

Hyderabad: Telangana Jagruthi president and BRS MLC K Kavitha will convene a roundtable meeting at the Press Club of Hyderabad on Friday to discuss the impact of the Polavaram project backwaters on Telangana, particularly on the Sri Sitarama Swamy temple at Bhadrachalam and surrounding areas.

The meeting, scheduled from 10 am to 2 pm, will focus on flooding concerns and territorial issues stemming from the Polavaram project, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s review meeting with Chief Ministers of four States on June 25.

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In a statement, Telangana Jagruthi general secretary Naveen Acharya said leaders from political parties, civil society organisations, and affected villagers will participate in the discussion. He said full water storage at the Polavaram project would submerge critical infrastructure, including the Manuguru Heavy Water Plant, and numerous villages between Bhadrachalam and Eturunagaram.

The roundtable will also deliberate on administrative challenges that followed the merger of five key villages — Purushottapatnam, Gundala, Etapaka, Kannaigudem, and Pichukalapadu — into Andhra Pradesh.

The merger, which occurred after Telangana’s formation, resulted in over 1,000 acres of land belonging to the Bhadrachalam temple coming under Andhra Pradesh’s control. This has led to hardships in healthcare, education, and disaster response for residents.