Experts from US, Canada visit Polavaram project

Vijayawada: A team of irrigation experts from the US and Canada have been roped in by the Union government to study the damage caused to the Polavaram multipurpose irrigation project due to the criminal negligence of the previous YSRCP government.

The team consisting of David B Paul and Gias Franco de Cisco of the US and Canada’s Richard Donnelly and Seas Hinsberger held talks with the officials of the Jal Shakti ministry in New Delhi and the officials of the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA). They visited the project site at Ramayyapet in Eluru district on Sunday.

The team will study dam’s management, security, civil engineering, and hydraulic structures. “The experts will be examining the project works in all angles and evaluate the situation.

They will submit a report to the PPA suggesting remedial measures,” state Irrigation Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu said.

It may be mentioned here that Paul is an expert in dam security and management and Donnelly is a specialist in hydraulic constructions and water management. Similarly, Franco de Cisco is an expert in structural engineering of dams, whereas Hinsberger has two-and-a-half decades of experience in geotechnical engineering and irrigation management.

“The irrigation experts will be visiting the project every three months until its completion and guide the engineers here to overcome technical problems in its execution,” according to officials.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu visited the Polavaram project on June 17 and inspected the project works and said that the previous government’s negligence had led to the damage to the coffer dam and diaphragm wall and the engineers are wondering whether to go in for the construction of diaphragm wall again or use some other technology.

Following this, he appealed to the Centre to facilitate the visit of international experts to study the structural deficiencies in the project works in the last five years. The team of international experts will make a detailed study of the diaphragm wall, the damage it suffered and the possibility of repairing it. If repairs are not possible then they may recommend reconstruction of the diaphragm wall.