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The multi-purpose Polavaram project, taken up on a mammoth scale and hence, compared to the ‘Baahubali’ range, is caught up in a financial mess between the state and central governments. With the financial allocation being reduced to just Rs 20,000 crore against the projected Rs 55,000 crore, the idea to reduce the height of the project from 45.72 metres to 41.5 metres has come to the fore.
Allocation of water
The project has adequate allocation of water like no other project on River Godavari but yet there is a threat of the scheme getting diminished to the range of a big barrage, if the height of the water storage tank is reduced. If that happens, then the whole aim of the ‘multi-purpose’ itself would get disturbed and the goals targeted would never be accomplished.
The Polavaram project can be called as the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh only when water is stored till a height of 45.72 metres. Only then would it be able to drive away the drought-like conditions in Rayalaseema and provide water to North Andhra.
If the height is reduced to 41.15 metres, none of the above goals will be achieved. No project on River Godavari has ‘award’ for using the water. Only Polavaram has the opportunity to store 194 tmc ft water till a height of 45.72 metres (150 feet).
The dam was designed placating Chattisgarh and Odisha. Restricting the height of the water storage would reduce the capacity of project to 115.50 tmc, which is the minimum drawing down level, which means water cannot be used if the level falls below it.
As per the original proposal of Polavaram, the right and left canals would receive water only through gravity, there is no need of lifting the water. However, if the height is reduced to 41.15 mt, that will not be the case. In the review meeting held recently, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy asked the officials to think about providing drinking water to Vizag from Polavaram through a pipeline.
Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi
Actually, Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi was taken up to meet the drinking water and industrial water needs of Visakhapatnam people. The Polavaram left canal can provide water to this irrigation project through gravity. In such a case, the CM’s directions to provide a special pipeline to meet the drinking water requirements of Vizagites is raising several doubts. Experts say that the pipeline proposal was brought because once the 41.15 mt height of the project is finalised, providing water through gravity is not possible.
If the water storage capacity is reduced, the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanti and Rayalaseema Durbhiksha Nivarana schemes will just remain a dream.
Moreover, injustice would also be done to both the Godavari districts. Water cannot be provided to the second crop in 6.40 lakh acres if construction is restricted to 41.15 metres.
Former chief minister late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had included Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi in the Polavaram project.
The aim of the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project is to provide Godavari waters to Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.
On the other hand, Rayalaseema Durbhiksha Nivarana scheme was taken up to provide water to Rayalaseema by building a barrage at Vaikunthapuram in River Krishna and diverting the water to Penna through Telugu Ganga project.
Irrgiation experts’ opinion
The aims of Polavaram project would be fulfilled only if both these ends are met and all this is possible only if water is stored up to a height of 45.72 mt.
In view of all these goals, irrigation experts say that the state government should fight with the central government and try to secure the funds necessary for the completion of the project as per the plan. The 960 MW power plant planned in alignment with the Polavaram project is also a boon to the state. The expenditure to produce on unit of power is less than Re 1. The other speciality of the project is it would produce power for 7 months in a year but water should be stored up to 45.72 mt and not 41.15 mt.
If water storage is reduced to 135 feet (41.15 mt), the project cannot be called as the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh, said irrigation expert, Water-Environment Technological research centre (WET centre) coordinator Dr P.A. Ramakrishnam Raju.
Further, he says, “The Polavaram project has been designed to stabilise the Godavari delta, to provide water to coastal district and Rayalaseema. The project was propounded to provide irrigation water to 53 lakh acre ayacut, apart from stabilising the Godavari delta. If the amount of water storage is reduced, there is every chance for the structure to just remain as a barrage.
In the monsoon, lakhs of cusecs of water reaches Polavaram from upstream areas of River Godavari. Drinking water problems will crop up in the Godavari delta ayacut during summer season. The Polavaram project was proposed as a solution to these problems.
Dowleswaram barrage
In 1852, after the Dowleswaram barrage was completed, Arthur Cotton thought of Polavaram. Though everything was sufficient at that time in view of the limited population then, he thought of constructing a reservoir in view of the future needs.
It was proposed that the reservoir should store 400 tmc water at 210 feet. A survey on the issue was also held under the supervision of Britishers. Later, the height of the project was reduced to 150 feet (45.72 mt) to avoid submergence of areas where Girijan population was more. May be, it was done to reduce the amount of compensation towards relief and rehabilitation.
If the height of the project is reduced, it would become another Dowleswaram barrage. The technical problems of reducing the height of the dam are yet to be revealed.
The original design of Polavaram stated that a water column would be present beyond 135 feet and up to 150 feet. It is only due to gravity that water would be supplied to Krishna barrage and Visakhapatnam through the canals. If the height of the dam is reduced, then water should lifted and poured into the canals. Already, Pushkara lift irrigation is there towards East Godavari and Pattiseema on the West Godavari.
Details of Polavaram
Maximum water level : 45.72 mt (150 feet)
Minimum water level : 41.15 mt (135 feet)
Spillway crest level : 25.72 mt
ECRF dam top bund level : 54 mt
Water storage capacity : 194.6 tmc
Live storage : 75.20 tmc
Maximum water releasing capacity: 50 lakh cusecs
Benefits
80 tmc can be diverted to Krishna river
23.44 tmc to Vizag for drinking water purposes
Drinking water facility to 540 villages
Water transportation facility
Odisha can get 5 tmc, Chattisgarh 1.5 tmc
Tags ANdhra Pradesh Polavaram
