GoM likely to clear hurdles to Polavaram

Hyderabad: The Group of Ministers (GoM), looking after the issues pertaining to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, is contemplating measures to clear all hurdles to the Indirasagar-Polavaram Irrigation Project, particularly the submergence of villages under the project.

According to the top officials in revenue department, GoM wants to placate the Seemandhra people by giving all clearances to the Polavaram project. “No controversy on Polavaram between the two States - Telangana and Andhra Pradesh particularly on submergence issue in future is the main agenda of GoM,” the official said.

It is a fact that the issue of Polavaram project has become the bone of contention as more than one lakh acre of tribal land in Telangana will be submerged by the mega irrigation project that will largely benefit the people of Coastal Andhra.

Besides this, the Centre has already announced national project status to the Polavaram venture with a huge amount of financial assistance as a concession for the creation of separate Telangana State.

As per the GoM plan, three mandals in Bhadrachalam revenue division Vararamachandrapuram, Kunavaram and Chintoor and three mandals in Paloncha revenue division, including Velierpad, Kukkunoor and Burgumpahad would go to Seemandhra region.

With this, all the villages that have a threat of submergence would become part of Seemandhra region, the officials said, adding that residuary State would not face any problems with new Telangana State in future. “Because of it, the issue of Munagala area, which was once part of Krishna district, came to fore for the discussion,” he said.