The Union Jal Shakti ministry has asked the Andhra Pradesh government to take up a joint survey, in coordination with the Telangana government, on the impact of backwaters of Polavaram major irrigation project on the areas in Telangana, particularly the temple town of Bhadrachalam and surrounding areas during the flood season every year.
In a letter written to principal secretary, water resources department of Andhra Pradesh Shashi Bhushan Kumar on Wednesday, member secretary of Union ministry of Jal Sakthi M Raghuram reminded that the representatives of both the Telugu states, at a meeting held by the ministry on January 25, had given their consent for the joint survey of Polavaram backwaters.
“Based on survey results, necessary measures shall be taken by the Polavaram Project Authority and the Andhra Pradesh government as may be required. In this regard, it is requested to coordinate with Telangana and complete the joint survey work at the earliest for taking further necessary action,” Raghuram said.
A senior official of the Telangana irrigation department said the survey would ascertain the extent of submergence areas in Telangana if the water level in Polavaram reservoir is maintained at full reservoir level of 45.72 metres and the minimum level of 41.15 metres during the peak flood season from July to September.
It would also study the impact of backwaters of Polavaram on the streams and tributaries like Kinnerasani and Sabari, which might swell due to the impact resulting in submergence of more areas than originally estimated when the project was conceived.
During the floods to Godavari river in July last year, the water level at Bhadrachalam reached 71.3 feet due to discharge of 24.88 lakh cusecs, which was the second highest after 1986 and it resulted in submergence of hundreds of villages and thousands of acres of standing crops.
Following the floods, Telangana special chief secretary (irrigation) Rajat Kumar wrote letters to the Union ministry, expressing apprehension that once the Polavaram project is completed, there would be massive submergence all along for about 30 km stretch upstream from the Telangana-AP border on either side of the Godavari river under the backwaters of the project.
He pointed out that the Central Water Commission had designed the Polavaram project spillway for discharging 50 lakh cusecs against 36 lakh cusecs as originally proposed. This would cause much more submergence effect in Telangana, inducing more attenuation of flood peaks.
“This would pose threat to the historical Temple town of Bhadrachalam with adjoining villages, the critical Manuguru Heavy Water Plant and Bhadradri Thermal plant all upstream of Polavaram,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, a high-level experts committee appointed by the Telangana government headed by irrigation engineer-in-chief (operations and maintenance) Nagendra Rao to study the causes for submergence of Bhadrachalam temple town and surroundings during the last year’s floods, submitted its report on Wednesday.
The irrigation official quoted above said the committee, too, observed that the backwaters of Polavaram project had a serious impact on Bhadrachalam. During the last year floods, the flood flow at the temple town was 24.22 lakh cusecs, while it was only 21.59 lakh cusecs.
“This is because the backwaters of Polavaram had obstructed the flow of water from several tributaries like Sabari and Kinnerasani into Godavari river. This resulted in inundation of 40,000 acres of crops and several areas around Bhadrachalam, affecting 28,000 people,” the report said.
The committee suggested that the government should take several measures to prevent flooding of Bhadrachalam and its surroundings including strengthening of embankments along Godavari river and construction of protection walls and cross drainage structures and at a cost of ₹1,629 crore. It also suggested payment of compensation to the people who have to be displaced form colonies that came up along the river bank in Bhadrachalam.
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