AP’s Polavaram Project Will Hit TG, Harish Cautions Authority

Hyderabad: Former irrigation minister and senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao on Thursday warned the Polavaram Project Authority that the temple town of Bhadrachalam may face a permanent threat of floods once Andhra Pradesh completes the Polavaram project.

In a letter to the authority’s chief executive officer, Harish Rao, he called for immediate intervention to protect flood-prone areas in Telangana from the stagnant waters of the Polavaram project. Harish Rao pointed out that the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of Polavaram Project is 45.72 metres; This is exactly the same as the initial flood alert level in Bhadrachalam.

Recalling the floods of 2022, Harish Rao said that waterlogging after the completion of Polavaram poll dam contributed significantly to floods in Bhadrachalam, Burgampahad and Sarapaka. Nearly 40 percent of Bhadrachalam town was submerged, causing severe distress to more than one lakh people.

Referring to studies of IIT and WAPCOS, he said they found that around 184 square kilometers of area in 36 villages would be affected by the stagnant water effect.

He also said that the threat is not limited to villages. Major industrial establishments, including ITC Paperboards, Heavy Water Plant at Manuguru and Dummugudem Hydel Project, are also vulnerable to floods.

He urged the Polavaram Project Authority to provide adequate compensation, take flood protection measures and set up a special PPA Division Office at Bhadrachalam to monitor rehabilitation, flood management and stagnant water-related issues affecting Telangana.