Polavaram: Secretary & collectors stay away from Naidu

Enduring the 45.6 degree Celsius heat in Polavaram project area of West Godavari district the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Monday completed a survey of the progress of project work for the first time after the completion of elections on 11 April.

However, district collectors of East and West Godavari districts, Irrigation secretary Sasibhushan stayed away from the Chief Minister’s visit. Polavaram Chief Engineer attended the review of the Chief Minister.

The Election commission has earlier objected to the review meeting undertaken by Naidu on Polavaram immediately after elections. The Chief Secretary LV Subrahmanyam also in an order issued to the officers advised them to stay away from such review meetings as the poll code is in vogue.

However, Naidu argued that the project works will slow down if periodical reviews are not undertaken. “I have reviewed Polavaram 90 times and visited the site 30 times. Around 70 % of the Projects works are completed. Spillway works are going on with the full force, another 20 meters of height has to be reached,” he said after visiting the project site.

The Chief Minister said that 40 lakh acres of land will get assured irrigation and 980 MW of power can be generated from the project which will have 48 crest gates. Naidu said that the state has so far spent Rs 16,493 cr and the centre has only reimbursed Rs 6,727 Cr. Pending bills worth Rs 4631 cr are with the Centre waiting for reimbursement.

“Polavaram is the lifeline of the state. We will win over draught forever by completing the project. We will be diverting the water that otherwise would have gone to the sea, and utilize it to provide irrigation to Godavari districts and Visakhapatnam. It is a multipurpose project. Leaders have been talking about Polavaram since 1941, but we did real work from 2014.” Naidu said. Naidu reviewed upstream and downstream works on the coffer dam, spillway and excavation work and progress of diaphragm walls.

Meanwhile, reports say that few IAS officers led by Chief Secretary have met at a hotel here in Vijayawada and discussed the alleged threat to the officers absconding from the Chief Minister’s meetings.