Polavaram design gets CM go-ahead

The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, on Tuesday directed the irrigation department not to make any changes in the designs of the Polavaram multi-purpose project and take steps to complete it by 2014.

The Chief Minister’s decision gains significance in view of the Praja Rajyam’s demand for speedy completion of Polavaram. It has been accusing the government of delaying the launch of project works in order to make changes in the dam design.

Soon after becoming Chief Minister, Mr Rosaiah ordered the officials to study the possibilities of changing designs to bring down the project cost. He was reacting to complaints of senior Congress leaders that the project cost was inflated.

However, the PR chief, Mr K Chiranjeevi, who is currently on a bus yatra for the cause of Polavaram in coastal districts, alleged that the government had deliberately been attempting changes to the design approved by the Central Water Commission.

Speaking to media persons after the review, the major irrigation minister, Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah, said the Chief Minister wanted the new tenders to be opened by May 30 and agreements entered into with the agencies that would bag the contract in the first week of June.

The Chief Minister asked the newly-appointed adviser, Mr P.K. Agarwal, to camp in New Delhi and follow up with the Centre to get national project status for Polavaram project. Mr Rosaiah said he would once again discuss the issue with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the union water sources minister, Mr Bansal.

Sources said the officials brought to the Chief Minister’s notice the Power Finance Corporation’s doubts over setting up 960 MW hydel power project as part of Polavaram.

The PFC sought to know whether drop in inflows into Polavaram would cut down power generation capacity to 450 MW after 25 years.

The major irrigation minister, however, dismissed the apprehensions and suggested that tenders could be called for 960 MW itself. He is said to have commented that the state cannot afford to produce less power in the next 25 years despite having capacity because of anticipated fall thereafter.