Work on Polavaram project will continue during monsoon: Jagan

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy reviewed six irrigation projects in the state on 25 June and said that work on the Polavaram project will continue as scheduled even during the monsoon season.

During the review meeting here on Thursday, Jagan held discussions with officials about various irrigation works, including Owk tunnel 2, Veligonda head regulator works on tunnel 1, Nellore and Sangam barrage works, Vamsadhara Nagavali interlinking, and Vamsadhara stage 2 of phase 2.

The officials said work on Owk tunnel 2 is in progress and it will be ready for inauguration by October while the 700m digging work is due at Veligonda tunnel 1 and it will be completed on time and water can be released by next October. Nallamala Sagar works have been completed, the officials told Jagan, adding they had permissions for R&R. The 180-metre eastern tunnel will be completed in the coming three months, they said. Teegaleru canal works are being completed while work on the Nellore and Sangam barrage is in full progress and will be completed by October, they informed the Chief Minister.

Work on Vamsadhara Nagavali will be completed by December and work on phase 2 of Vamsadhara was progressing. The officials said they will fill eight TMC of water in the safe zone and by next July the works will be completed. "We have made arrangements to carry out spillway works throughout the year, except August. The fabricated radial gates will be set from November. The remaining work is progressing as scheduled," the officials said.

In April, the workforce at the irrigation projects was 3,000 but it was reduced to 900 due to the corona virus crisis, the officials said, adding now with workers coming back to work, the workforce has increased to 2,000.

The Chief Minister said the gates should be fixed by November at any cost and said the schedule should not be disturbed as it will have a cascading effect. Keeping in mind the previous year's experience, evacuation work should be carried out in advance in low-lying areas and relief and rehabilitation works should be carried out, he instructed the officials. Steps should be taken to claim reimbursement for the Rs. 3,791 crores spent so far, he added.

Jagan further said steps should be taken to store water at full reservoir level at Chitravati and Gandikota and the remaining work on land acquisition and rehabilitation should be completed at the earliest.

Water resources minister Anil Kumar Yadav, chief secretary Neelam Sawhney, and irrigation special chief secretary Adityanath Das attended the meeting