Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sought timely central funding and the resolution of inter-state regulatory issues to accelerate the Polavaram project, during a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi on October 8. Naidu said the state was targeting completion of the project and its dedication to the nation by the time of the next Godavari Pushkarams.
According to the report, Naidu briefed Patil on the progress of construction and requested that funds for Polavaram be released without interruption. The two sides also discussed works required to impound water up to the 45.72-metre contour at the project.
A key issue raised during the meeting was the Stop Work Order issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in connection with pending public hearings for protective embankments in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Although the order is currently in abeyance, Naidu sought its permanent withdrawal and urged the Union ministry to coordinate with both states to speed up the public hearing process.
The Chief Minister also proposed a meeting of the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh under the chairmanship of the Union Jal Shakti Ministry. He said the concerns involving the three states could be resolved through cooperation, coordination and a spirit of give-and-take, according to the report.
Rehabilitation and resettlement was another major component of the discussion. Naidu said works needed for impounding water up to the 41.15-metre contour were being expedited, while stressing that resolving the problems of displaced families was being treated with equal priority alongside construction. He also requested safeguards against any shortage of funds for the project.
The Polavaram project involves issues that extend beyond construction activity in Andhra Pradesh because its protective works and clearances affect neighbouring states. The pending public hearings in Odisha and Chhattisgarh remain an administrative milestone for the embankment-related works, while rehabilitation and resettlement will determine the conditions under which additional water can be impounded.
Naidu also referred to the volume of Godavari floodwater flowing into the sea and highlighted efforts to divert and use water through the Pattiseema project. He said steps were also being taken to develop Polavaram as a major tourism and spiritual destination.
The meeting additionally covered the Jal Jeevan Mission and Amarajeevi Jaladhara works recently taken up in Andhra Pradesh at a reported cost of Rs 30,000 crore. Naidu said the state had about 95 lakh rural households, of which 62 lakh already had tap-water connections. Foundation stones had recently been laid for works intended to provide connections to another 27 lakh rural households.
He requested prompt central fund releases for these drinking-water works in line with their implementation progress. The Chief Minister also explained the potential benefits of interlinking rivers in the southern states during the meeting. The next milestones identified in the discussions are the release of project funds, progress on rehabilitation and resettlement, and coordination among Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh on the pending public hearing process.
