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State unhappy with NHPC’s suggestion
Andhra Pradesh government is seemingly unhappy with the recommendations of National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC), which opposed the idea of building upper cofferdam at Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP).
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh government is seemingly unhappy with the recommendations of National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC), which opposed the idea of building upper cofferdam at Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP).
The government has decided to take this to the notice of Central Water Commission (CWC) and Dam Design Review Committee during a meeting scheduled to be held in January fist week.
The NHPC had suggested that building the main earth-cum-rock filled (ECRF) dam halfway into Godavari and construct a temporary dam to bridge the gap. The NHPC did not support the idea of cofferdam but suggested temporary dam halfway into Godavari to connect ECRF.
Cofferdams are usually built one upstream and one downstream of proposed main dam to keep out water and soil to permit dewatering and construction of the permanent structure.
A month ago, the Union Water Resources Ministry had asked NHPC to suggest methodology for construction of the ECRF dam up to safe flood-level in one season without constructing cofferdam all along the whole width of river.
Speaking to The Hans India, water resources minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao said the NHPC proposal that building the main earth-cum-rock filled (ECRF) dam halfway into Godavari and construct a temporary dam to bridge the gap may not be correct in view of project safety.
“Around Rs 100 crore may be saved if the construction of cofferdam halfway into the river is withdrawn. But our concern is safety of project. They should consider safety aspect is more important than money in building big projects such as Polavaram,” he said.
He said they should take expenditure for dewatering at the ECRF dam site into consideration if the NHPC’s proposal is being implemented. “They did not agree for our first proposal of 42 mts level ECRF dam, but now they also recommended the same level. Similarly, I think that the dam design committee will support the idea of cofferdam,” he said.
The minister said the dam designs review committee, which was the technical authority, will decide which construction is suitable for the project.
He said Union Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari will visit the project in second week of January.
Responding to a question, he said that as the Transstroy and UES joint venture company has taken up the project, no problem will be arisen with petition of Canara Bank in National Company Law Tribunal against the Transstroy.
