CWC flags green signal for joint survey of Polavaram FRL areas

Hyderabad: The Central Water Commission (CWC) has accepted the State government's demand for the joint survey of Polavaram FRL (full reservoir level) flood areas. The government submitted evidence of the submerged areas in the State under Polavaram to CWC chairman Kushwinder Vora at a meeting on Wednesday.

The inter-State meeting on Polavaram project and flooding issues was attended by top irrigation officials from AP and Telangana and CWC representatives.

The Telangana officials said the CWC chairman agreed to the joint survey of flood areas, which the State has been demanding for several years. The State representatives presented all evidences to the chairman.

The officials said 899 acres in six villages in Burgampadu and Bhadrachalam mandals of Kothagudem district has been marked and shown on maps of the Survey of India. The CWC chairman decided to undertake a joint survey immediately under the Polavaram authority. Andhra Pradesh has been asked to cooperate in this.

It was also decided to conduct a joint survey in the case of eight outfall ponds in Bhadrachalam taking into consideration the evidence shown by Telangana.

As per the NGT directives, it was ordered to assess the effect on water flows in Murredu and Kinnerasani streams when water is stored at FRL level in Polavaram project. According to orders, a joint survey would be conducted on the two rivers. It was found that there is an effect of flooding.

The AP government was instructed to immediately demarcate the affected areas. In addition, it has been asked to undertake similar survey on six other big streams in the first phase. The CWC ordered that the survey be conducted under the Polavaram authority.

The CWC also advised AP to conduct a survey in the vicinity of Manuguru heavy water plant and Bhadrachalam Ram Temple and identify the flood-prone areas.

Engineer-in-Chief Nagendra Rao said the State government was not against construction of Polavaram project but only wanted to study its effects and take appropriate protective measures. Odisha Engineer-in-Chief Ashutosh Das said keeping in view the July 22 floods, the effects of Polavaram in the State should be studied once again and appropriate protective measures taken. Representatives of Chhattisgarh did not attend the meeting.