Telugu states,which are already in dispute with regard to water sharing, are now locked up in another row over conduct of a joint survey on the impact of the Polavaram project inundation and to study the impact of the inundation and backwaters. Telangana ENC Anil Kumar has requested that the study be conducted comprehensively in the context of the inundation caused by the floods last year.
A meeting of the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) was held at the Central Water Commission office in Hyderabad on Tuesday on the Polavaram inundation issue. Telangana ENC Anil Kumar, Godavari Inter-State Disputes officers, PPA officers, AP CEs and others participated in this meeting.
Telangana officials gave a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the risk of inundation in Telangana if the Polavaram reservoir is at its full storage capacity of 45.72 meters. They also explained their objections to the Godavari Banakacherla Link project being illegally undertaken by AP.
The officials have decided that a joint survey should be conducted on the demarcation of the Kinnerasani River, Bhadrachalam flooding, threat to the Manuguru Heavy Water Plant, and the impact of the six streams.
However, AP has once again made it clear that there is no point in agreeing to a joint survey as per Telangana’s demands. It said that it would conduct a joint survey only on the impact on the Kinnerasani River with the Polavaram backwater. It has made it clear that old surveys already exist and that those surveys are sufficient.
PPA, which rejected AP’s arguments, clarified that it will conduct the survey itself with a third party. Telangana officials have demanded that a joint survey be conducted on the flooding in Telangana due to the full capacity of the Polavaram project and the determination of the boundaries of the respective areas.
It has been clarified that the flooding will affect 954 acres of the state. They have asked for the river flow levels in Bhadrachalam with the backwater to be determined. They requested that a study be conducted on the flood flow at the Bhadrachalam temple, the 8 outfall regulators in Bhadrachalam town.
They also requested that a study be conducted on the flooding at the Manuguru heavy water storage center. They clarified that a demarcation should be done as per the NGT orders on the drainage issue of the Kinnerasani and Murreduvagu rivers.
