Central Water Commission experts happy with Polavaram progress

Amaravati: The expert committee of the Central Water Commission (CWC) has expressed satisfaction over pace of head works of the Polavaram project. The committee, which visited a non-tribal rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) village on the first day of its visit, said the beneficiaries were almost satisfied with the package. State government officials said the committee’s report has given a relief to them in backdrop of present crisis.

Convener of the committee R K Pachauri submitted the report to the Union Ministry of Water Resources Department on March 21 after its third inspection of the project between March 15 and 17.

In its report, the committee mentioned that smooth transition from first contractor to second contractor was without any issue. It suggested that though 74% of diaphragm wall work was completed, third party quality check has to be ensured and said methodology for construction of cofferdam is yet to be decided by contractor. “Coffer dam need to be completed by March 2019 for diversion of water to canals,” it said.

Coming to head works and spillway, the committee said that though the concreting work of spillway has to be completed by March 2019, there is serious shortfall from November 2017 to February 2018.

After some portion of work was awarded to Navayuga Engineering company, the new agency is laying concrete in spillway about 3,000 cubic metres per day against the daily target of 4,800 cum per day. “It is ambitious target in view of existing constraints of the envisaging planning,” the committee said and praised Navayuga.

It said that in left main canal (LMC), 315 structures out of 452 and, in right main canal, 75 of total 255 structures are yet to be completed. On R&R and land acquisition, the Central committee said the total area required to +45.72 mts (for submerge, land for land and R&R centres) in East and West Godavari districts, 1.66 lakh acres.

Out of that 11 lakh acres has already been acquired. Out of total project disturbed families of 17,739, only 3,348 have only be rehabilitated, it observed. “Since the project is targeted to complete December 2019, the land acquisition and R&R work is lagging behind. An action plan with a timeline may be prepared separately for land acquisition, construction of colonies for R&R and complete of settlement of PDFs,” it suggested.

It also suggested completing the public hearing as early as possible to resolve submerged inter-state related issues in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. On quality control in dam/ head works of the project, the committee said the quality control mechanism needs to be strengthened with QC lab.

The expert committee wanted the state government to provide justification in respect of variation in project estimates along with supporting documents on urgent basis. The committee said the project’s estimate is Rs 16,010 crore (2010-11) and the revised estimated was Rs 58,319.60 crore (2013-14) which has been submitted in CWC for examination. It said the examination can only be concluded after the receipt of clarifications which were sought by CWC through letters in July 2017 and February and March 2018.