VISAKHAPATNAM: The proposed construction of two Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) in Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district - at Chittamvalasa and Gujjili - continues to face stiff opposition from local tribal communities. A meeting convened by District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar on Monday to explain the project details and benefits to the affected villages was boycotted by the tribals, who reaffirmed their opposition to the projects.
The meeting, held at the district collectorate, was attended by officials from the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) and other departments. Officials briefed the media on the projects’ technical and administrative aspects, stressing the need for green energy and regional development.
As per district administration data, the Chittamvalasa PSP is proposed at Kusumavalasa village in Hukumpeta mandal. Designed as an off-stream, closed-loop project, it will draw 0.88 TMC of water from the Raiwada reservoir and cover 786.94 acres — including 23.46 acres of forest land. The upper reservoir will submerge 97.22 acres, affecting Dumbrivalasa village, while the lower reservoir will submerge 166.13 acres near Majjivalasa, impacting nearby habitations.
The Gujjili PSP, proposed across Dudikonda and Bheemavaram villages in Araku Valley and Ananthagiri mandals, will also be an off-stream, closed-loop project drawing 0.64 TMC of water from the Champavathi River or Raiwada reservoir.
It will require 633.23 acres — 93.48 acres of forest land and 539.75 acres of non-forest land. Preliminary studies show 115.52 acres will be submerged for the upper reservoir, affecting Dudikonda (12 huts) and Mushriguda (52 huts), while 91.74 acres will go under for the lower reservoir near Chippapally village.
Officials clarified that the two projects together would affect 116 acres of forest land and 1,302 acres of non-forest land, with a total inundation area of 304 acres. Villages such as Dudikonda, Mushriguda, Chippapally, Dumbriguda, and Majjivalasa would be impacted, while nearby habitations like Tangalaguda, Koguvalasa, Addumanda, Sankuparti, and Damaparti would remain outside the project area.
The district administration said the projects are expected to create around 400 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs, besides boosting infrastructure with CC roads, healthcare, telecommunication, schools, and skill development centres. “Plans are also being made for an underground drinking water pipeline system to supply piped water to affected and nearby villages,” officials said.
They added that the projects come under Regulation 1/70 since NREDCAP is a government body, with private firms engaged only for construction and operation. The projects, they said, would be taken up only after completing Social and Environmental Impact Assessments (SEIA) and implementing rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) measures as per the Andhra Pradesh R&R Act.
However, tribal communities remain distrustful, citing past displacement and poor rehabilitation efforts. “We boycotted the meeting and remain firm in our opposition,” they said. “Even in national projects like Polavaram, proper rehabilitation hasn’t been ensured till date. How can we trust these private firms that make vague promises of jobs and development?”
