Vijayawada: The Centre said in the Parliament on Tuesday that about eight revenue villages in Malkanagiri district of neighbouring Odisha will submerge after the completion of Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh. However, it said a retaining wall has been proposed on Sabari and Sileru rivers to prevent the submergence.
Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Union minister of state for Jal Shakti, told the Parliament that they have identified about 1,005 families in eight revenue villages of Odisha who would get effected due to the submergence. He said the Centre initiated the Polavaram project based on an agreement between AP, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
“The Centre and AP govt have consistently promised to take care of the submerged areas with several options. We have readied plans to protect the areas in Odisha from submergence after the completion of Polavaram project. About eight villages will get marooned when the water is filled up to 150ft level in the project,” said Choudhary.
He explained that the Centre had given options to Odisha govt either to take up construction of retaining wall and create proper drainage system to prevent the damages, or pay compensation to the oustees. But the Odisha govt did not initiate the construction of retaining wall and drainage system as suggested by the Centre, the minister said.
“There is a provision to construct a retaining wall about 12km long on Sileru river and another 18.2km-long wall on Sabari river. The total length of the retaining walls would be 30.2 km,” he explained.
Choudhary further said that they have identified that about 648 hectares of land in Odisha and 795 hectares in Chhattisgarh were expected to submerge due to the Polavaram project. “The entire area is located between Sabari and Sileru rivers. The Centre is taking all possible measures to alleviate the fears of Odisha govt with regard to the completion of Polavaram project,” he said, adding that the Centre is committed to completing Polavaram project after addressing the grievances of all stakeholder states.
The Union minister also informed that the Centre recently roped in four international dam safety and hydrological experts to take more stringent measures with regard to the dam’s protection.
“Govt has accepted the suggestion of experts to construct buttress berm at cofferdams as additional safety measure to prevent seepage. A comprehensive water management plan is also being readied as per expert team’s suggestions,” he added.
