VIJAYAWADA: The state government has prepared an action plan to complete the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) of 17,860 project displaced families (PDFs) of +41.15 metre contour of Polavaram Irrigation Project by May. Around 11,500 houses in 47 R&R colonies have reached the final stage, according to officials.
Making a detailed comparison of the works done in five years, between 2014 and 2019, of the TDP regime and those done in the last 19 months under the YSRC government, the state government, on Sunday, said a plan has been chalked out to complete both R&R and civil works simultaneously.
Even though 1,05,601 PDFs are to be rehabilitated (for +45.72 metre contour, full reservoir level), the previous government was able to rehabilitate only 3,110 PDFs.
“In the five years, only 1,846 houses were completed in 15 R&R colonies. There is a severe shortage of infrastructure in these colonies... construction of 11,500 houses in 47 R&R colonies is almost complete now and the government is taking steps to rehabilitate 17,860 PDFs by May,” a report released by the government stated.
The 1,110.4 metre long spillway has 53 blocks and only some of them were concreted up to +34 metre height between 2014 and May 2019, the report said.
“In the last 19 months, all the spillway pillars reached +54 metres as against the level of +55 metres. The spillway works and slab concrete will be completed by next month. The ‘unplanned’ construction of cofferdam delayed the works related to spill channel and it was submerged with floodwater and silt in 2019. Major designs were not approved as well... Works have gained momentum and will be completed by April,” it said.
Construction of cofferdam is essential as it facilitates the construction of earth-cum-rock fill dam. The TDP government was able to complete 1,200 metre length of upstream cofferdam to a height of +28 to +33 metres as against the scope of 2,340 metre length and +42.5 metre height.
The lower cofferdam works were done for 950 metre length as against 1,612 metre length and 30.5 metre height.
“With planning, the works will be completed by June,” the report read.
The previous government claimed that it installed radial gates by temporarily fixing iron sheets, the comparison report noted.
“For installation of gates, spillway pillars have to be erected till +54 metre height, but the previous government raised the pillars only to 34 metre height and installed a temporary gate. Now, nine of the 48 gates have been installed, and by April, remaining 39 will also be fixed,” it added.
Out of the 192 concrete girders and 48 concrete slabs for the spillway bridge, the previous government was able to complete works related to only 22 girders and zero slabs.
“Now, 170 girders have been fixed. Similarly, 40 of the 48 concrete slabs have been completed and the remaining will be done by February 15,” the action plan said.
For supply of water through the left main canal, a 919-metre-long and 18-metre-wide tunnel has to be excavated and no work was taken up during the TDP rule.
“Similarly, twin tunnels have to be created to supply water through the right main canal. The lining works were not taken up by the earlier government. Now, both the LMC tunnel and RMC twin tunnels are targeted to be completed by December,” the government stated.
Even the excavation for 960 MW hydel powerhouse foundation was not taken up as planned in the five years between 2014 and 2019, it said.
“A hill has to be excavated from +135 metres to +12 metres. The works from +135 metres to +110 metres were done before 2014 itself. In the five years from 2014, only 18 metres were excavated till +92 metres. Now, 6,000 cubic metres a day excavation is underway and works related to six of the 12 power units are done. The remaining, about 80 metres excavation, will be completed by March,” the government revealed.
More water for irrigation
Polavaram Left Main Canal will irrigate an additional ayacut of 1.62 lakh hectares in East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts
Supply of 23.44 TMC water to Visakhapatnam for drinking water and industrial purpose
Polavaram Right Main Canal will irrigate an additional ayacut of 1.29 lakh hectares in West Godavari and Krishna districts
9.36 lakh hectares in Godavari and Krishna deltas to be stabilised
960 MW hydel power to be generated
Drinking water for 28.50 lakh population in 540 villages
Construction of 11,500 houses in 47 colonies almost complete
Even though 1,05,601 PDFs are to be rehabilitated (for +45.72 metre contour, full reservoir level), the previous government was able to rehabilitate only 3,110 PDFs.
“In the five years, only 1,846 houses were completed in 15 rehabilitation colonies. There is also a severe shortage of infrastructure in these colonies... construction of 11,500 houses in 47 R&R colonies is almost complete now and the government is taking steps to rehabilitate 17,860 PDFs by May,” the report released by the government stated.