VIJAYAWADA: Expressing his displeasure over the slow pace of Polavaram works, Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat pulled up the CEO of Polavaram Project Authority (PPA).The Union Minister, along with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, inspected the progress of Polavaram project works on Friday.
Pointing out the delay in filling up the area eroded due to Godavari floods at the lower cofferdam and approving the new design for the same, he wanted to know how long it will take to complete the project at this pace.The lower cofferdam area eroded to an extent of 220 metres long and 36 metres deep in Godavari floods in 2019 and 2020.
He directed that the design to fill up the eroded area be finalised immediately. A decision should also be taken on utilising the expertise of firms within the country or outside for the Earth-cum-Rock Fill (ECRF) dam within 15 days, he said.
Responding to the request of Jagan, Shekhawat agreed to review the progress of Polavaram project every fortnight for its speedy execution and asked the Polavaram Project Authority officials to attend the review meetings without fail. He also instructed them to set up a dashboard to update the progress of Polavaram project works regularly.
On the Chief Minister’s request, Shekhawat asked the officials to evolve a specific plan for relocation of Polavaram project oustees in Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) colonies. He conceded the Chief Minister’s proposal to provide compensation to the project oustees through direct cash transfer.
Jagan underlined the need to shift the PPA office to Rajahmundry to carry out regular inspection of the Polavaram project works and Shekhawat responded positively to the plea.
Jagan took some key issues to the notice of the Union Minister and urged him to consider the entire project as a single component and process the bills every fortnight instead of component-wise reimbursement of the cost to ensure the cash flow and avoid delay in the project execution.Informing that the project bills worth Rs 859.59 crore were rejected by the Centre, he urged the Union Minister to look into the matter. He also appealed to the Jal Shakti Minister to clear the revised cost estimates of Rs 55,548.87 crore at 2017-18 price level.
Earlier, the Union Minister interacted with the project displaced families in R&R colonies at Indukurpet and Taduvai in East and West Godavari districts. Addressing them, Shekhawat said the Narendra Modi-led government is committed to completing the Polavaram project in a time-bound manner, bearing the entire cost as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Expressing satisfaction over the basic infrastructure facilities in the R&R colonies, he stressed the need to provide employment opportunities to the displaced families.Jagan said the State government is committed to providing an additional Rs 3 lakh to the oustees as promised in addition to Rs 6.8 lakh being extended by the Centre.