Polavaram is first priority for the govt: CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

Polavaram: During his maiden visit to the Polavaram Irrigation Project site, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy assured that the construction of the project will be completed by June 2021. He visited the project site on Friday, inspected the progress of the works, held a review with officials and others.

Giving highest priority for earliest completion of the project, Jagan discussed various components of the project including spillway works, cofferdam, earth cum rockfill dam, rehabilitation and resettlement package to the project sites.

The Spillway works of the project must be completed by the end of this June. The works of the project should continue even in the rainy season between June to October. Chief Minister directed the officials to make plans for that. Due to lapses in coordination, failures in the plan of action and barriers in communication led to the loss of last season, he observed. Jagan said that this time it should not be repeated and the works must continue in full swing.

He said a plan of action should be prepared to complete the Polavaram Project by June 2021 while the spillway and the approach channel have to be completed by this June so that water could be supplied through the spillway.

Chief Minister directed the officials to clear all hurdles in executing the project at the earliest. The rock-fill dam works should be carried out between June and October to fill the gaps in the cofferdam and adequate funds would be allocated for it, he said.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to immediately start the relief and rehabilitation works so that people of the region could be evacuated to safer places even before the project works are completed. He said an official should be completely entrusted with the work of liaising with the Central government for getting clearance for the designs and follow-up action in the execution.

While saying that silage due to floods during last season was the reason behind the delay in the execution of the project works, the Chief Minister asked the officials to complete the right and left canal works on time. The officials informed that the right canal works would be completed by this June and the left canal works were being taken up in two packages. The Chief Minister directed them to see that there were no breaches to the canal works.

It was proposed to name the bridge to be constructed over the spillway as YSR Gateway with a four-lane road and link it to the earth-cum-rock-filled dam. The officials informed that 41.15 mts of water can be stored in the cofferdam for which 17,000 people in Devipatnam region would have to be evacuated from six villages which are likely to be submerged in 35 contours. The Chief Minister said that funds would be released for setting up rehabilitation colonies.