Polavaram Project: 1.7 km diaphragm wall damaged, says Ambati Rambabu
Minister for irrigation Ambati Rambabu speaking at a review meeting with CWC members at Polavaram project in Eluru district on Sunday
Polavaram (Eluru district): Minister for irrigation Ambati Rambabu said the diaphragm wall of Polavaram irrigation project was damaged up to 1.7 km due to the previous TDP government's 'unimaginative and hasty' decisions.
A 12-member expert team from the Central Water Commission (CWC ), Dam Design Review Panel of the ministry of Jal Shakti and the Central Soil and Materials Research Station, New Delhi, led by Union Jal Shakti minister's advisor Vedire Sriram visited the construction work of the Polavaram project from May 20 and 21.
The CWC team members inspected the earth-cum-rock fill dam gap -1 and 2 diaphragm wall, downstream cofferdam, spillway channel, rock fill guide bund, upstream cofferdam, and scoured portions of the sand quarry.
Polavaram project chief engineer B Sudhakar Babu and Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) engineers explained the present status of the irrigation project. Minister Rambabu conducted a review meeting with the officials at Polavaram site on Sunday.
Rambabu alleged that without constructing the cofferdam in Polavaram irrigation project, the construction of diaphragm wall was a 'historic blunder' committed by the TDP government. He said that it is the first time to involve such a huge number of experts in the study of the Polavaram project. He said the previous government spent Rs 400 crore for the diaphragm wall but they are in dilemma regarding the quantum of funding required for the repair or rebuilding of diaphragm wall now.
He further said diaphragm wall has been damaged due to heavy rains and floods because of its construction without cofferdam. He said that CWC team members are critically studying the Polavaram irrigation project.
He said that the YSRCP government was committed to complete the project at the earliest and dedicate it to the people.
Rambabu said the experts' committee would study before taking a final decision on either constructing a new diaphragm wall or repairing the existing one. He remarked that they are not throwing mud on the previous government but are informing the opinion of the experts who are involved in the study of the project.