Division pangs: Locals fume over projects

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Feb 12, 2014: Lack of clarity on many aspects of Polavaram project in the AP reorganization Bill has left locals fuming at the union government.  While, the GoM on state bifurcation in its AP Reorganisation Bill has mentioned about, Polavaram irrigation project and declared it as a national project, locals are up in arms for no mention of Uttarandhra Sujala Srvananthi or any other irrigation project that are considered as life line for the three districts of north Andhra.

If completed under Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi, a back water project of Polavaram around about eight lakh acres ayacut in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts can be irrigated.  The project is also aimed at providing drinking water to an estimated 30 lakh population spread over 1,200 villages. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 7,214 crs.

The Bill said that “The Polavaram Irrigation Project is hereby declared to be a

national project.  It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that

the Union should take under its control the regulation and development of the Polavaram Irrigation Project for the purposes of irrigation.  The Central Government shall execute the project in  consultation with the Governments of the two successor States

following all environmental, forests, and rehabilitation and resettlement norms”.

But Polavaram’s backwater project Uttarndhra Sujala Sravanthi which was named after Babu Jagjivan Ram has always been considered a separate project entity under state government’s ambitious Jalayagnam. Unlike other irrigation projects of Jalayagnam, which faced some problem or the other, the Uttarandhra Sujal Sravanthi  had no hurdles on technical issues or problems related to clearances.

Initially around Rs 50 crores had been allocated in the budget and later it was reduced to Rs 10 crs of which until now not even a single rupee was spent. Justice BN Sri Krishna Committee report too pointed at the backwardness of north Andhra and Rayalaseema regions than that of Telangana.

Besides, Sujala Sravanthi, there are two more  irrigation projects- Boddepalli Rajagopala Rao Vamsadhara Project - Stage II  (Vamsadhara Project Stage II) in Srikakulam and Thotapally barrage project in Viziangaram were also planned. Vamsadhsra project aims at irrigating 45,000 acres of ayacut and estimated cost was put at Rs 933 crs. Thotapally barrage project after completion is expected to irrigate 1.25 lakh acres in Vizainagaram and the project cost was estimated at Rs 527 crs.

“It’s most unfortunate that there was no mention of any of these projects in the AP Reorganisation Bill. Though the union government has said that they will sanction good economic package for north Andhra that would not serve any purpose unless these projects are taken up. Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi has always been treated as a separate project entity as part of Jalayagnam. They have just simply mentioned that Polvaram project will be declared as national project and it will be fully funded by union government. What about Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi and other projects. It’s highly objectionable,” said Uttarandhra Rakshana Vedika (URV), president, S S Sivasankar.

Objections are also being raised over mentioning Polavaram as any normal irrigation project while it was envisaged as multi purpose project that can generate hydel power also.

Polvaram project’s irrigation potential was envisaged  7.21 lakh acres10 in East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Visakhapatnam  districts.  Other purposes are to  stabilize 10.13 lakh acres of Godavari and 13 lakh acres of Krishna delta, interlinking river project proposing to divert 80 TMC to river Krishna,  23.44 TMC to industries in Visakhapatnam, domestic water to 28.50 lakh population in 540 villages  and generation of 960 MW hydel power.

“How can they simply mention it as Polvaram irrigation project whereas it’s a multipurpose project? The cheap hydel power generated from the irrigation project can be used for Khammam ayacut irrigation in Telangana. There is no clarity at all in the Bill,” said, Forum for Action Research and Policy Analysis (FARPA), chairman, Prof RV Rama Rao.

• If completed under, Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi, a back water project of Polavaram around about eight lakh acres ayacut in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts can be irrigated. 

• The project is also aimed at providing drinking water to an estimated 30 lakh population spread over 1,200 villages. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 7,214 crs.

• Unlike other irrigation projects of Jalayagnam, which faced some problem or the other, the Uttarandhra Sujal Sravanthi  had no hurdles on technical issues or problems related to clearances.

• Initially around Rs 50 crores had been allocated in the budget and later it was reduced to Rs 10 crs of which until now not even a single rupee was spent.

• Besides, Sujala Sravanthi, there are two more  irrigation projects- Boddepalli Rajagopala Rao Vamsadhara Project - Stage II  (Vamsadhara Project Stage II) in Srikakulam and Thotapally barrage project in Viziangaram were also planned.

•  Vamsadhsra project aims at irrigating 45,000 acres of ayacut and estimated cost was put at Rs 933 crs.

• Thotapally barrage project after completion is expected to irrigate 1.25 lakh acres in Vizainagaram and the project cost was estimated at Rs 527 crs.

• No north Andhra irrigation project finds mention in the AP Reorganisation Bill.