Polavaram may take long to realise
HYDERABAD: Though the AP government claims to complete the project within three years from now, it may take quite long. Though it has been conferred national project status, Polavaram has become a saga of neglect and disappointment for people of Andhra Pradesh for more than 20 years now.
For completion of the 'jinxed' Polavaram project, several hurdles have to be crossed. 'If we considered the present pace of spending by the governments on irrigation projects and the inter-state issues, completion of Polavaram may take quite long,' a senior official in irrigation sector said.
Polavaram is an inter-state project on river Godavari and conceived as per the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award in 1980.
Polavaram is located on river Godavari near Ramayyapet village of Polavaram Mandal of West Godavari district in AP. It is a multipurpose major terminal reservoir project for development of irrigation, hydropower and drinking water facilities to East Godavari, Vishakhapatnam, West Godavari and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The project is intended to provide irrigation to 2.91 lakh hectares and hydropower with installed capacity of 960 MW apart from 23.44 tmc drinking, besides industrial water supply to Vishakhapatnam township and steel plant. The project will also divert 80 tmc waters to river Krishna.
The ultimate irrigation potential of the project is 4.368 lakh ha and annual power generation will be 2369.43 million units. In addition, 540 villages will also be provided with drinking water facilities in the command area.
News Posted: 12 July, 2014
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