Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sought the permanent withdrawal of the stop-work order affecting the Polavaram project and proposed a meeting of the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh to expedite pending public hearings.
Naidu made the request during a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil in New Delhi on Thursday, according to an official statement. The order, issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is currently in abeyance but remains linked to pending public hearings for protective embankments planned in Odisha and Chhattisgarh as part of the project.
The Andhra Pradesh chief minister suggested that the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti convene the three-state meeting under its chairmanship. He said the issue could be resolved through mutual cooperation, coordination and a spirit of give-and-take in the larger interests of the three states.
Naidu also told Patil that Polavaram works were progressing with the objective of completing the project and dedicating it to the nation by the time of the next Godavari Pushkaram in mid-2027. He urged the Union minister to ensure the timely release of funds for the project.
The meeting also covered rehabilitation and resettlement work required for impounding water up to the 41.15-metre contour at Polavaram. Naidu said the state government was expediting the process and giving equal priority to resolving the problems of displaced families and completing relief and rehabilitation measures alongside construction.
The two leaders discussed the works required for impounding water up to the 45.72-metre contour. Naidu also highlighted the diversion and utilisation of Godavari water through the Pattiseema project, saying that large quantities of floodwater were flowing into the sea. The state is also taking steps to develop Polavaram as a tourism and spiritual destination, according to the statement.
Naidu separately discussed the Jal Jeevan Mission-Amarajeevi Jaladhara works recently taken up at a cost of Rs 30,000 crore. Andhra Pradesh has around 95 lakh rural households, of which 62 lakh already have tap water connections, he told the Union minister. Foundation stones have been laid for works intended to provide drinking water connections to another 27 lakh rural households.
He requested the Union ministry to ensure the prompt release of funds in line with the progress of these works. The leaders also discussed the benefits of interlinking rivers in the southern states. The proposed meeting between the three chief ministers and the progress of the public hearing process will determine the next administrative steps on the stop-work order.
