Telangana asks CWC to immediately resolve concerns regarding Polavaram

Telangana has once again requested the Central Water Commission (CWC) to take immediate steps to resolve all the concerns raised by it, in line with the submission made by the Union government in the Compliance Affidavit (CA) before the Supreme Court, on the Polavaram project.

In a letter to the chairman of the CWC, Telangana Irrigation and Command Area Development Engineer-in-Chief (General) C Muralidhar has said that since the formation of the state in 2014, many representations have been made with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, CWC, and Polavaram Project Authority to safeguard the territory of Telangana coming under submergence due to standing water at the full reservoir level (FRL) condition and due to backwater (BW) effects of the project.

The Supreme Court, through its order dated 2 August, 2018, impleaded the state, bringing its grievances before a legal forum.Subsequently, the state also filed a petition in the Supreme Court with a main prayer to ensure all the protection measures be undertaken in Telangana due to backwaters causing submergence and flooding of such areas.

Telangana’s concerns

Telangana also raised the concerns and issues during the four meetings convened consequent to the Supreme Court order dated 6 September, 2022.On the submergence of Telangana’s territory when water is impounded in Polavaram to FRL above 150 feet, the CWC, PPA, and Andhra Pradesh government agreed to a joint survey, starting with joint inspection for FRL Stones (above 150 feet) erected earlier, said the state.

The data exchange by AP revealed an extent of 954 acres coming under submergence, the details of which were marked on the topo-sheet and shared with the PPA and AP government, claimed Telangana, adding that the AP government and PPA were not forthcoming for the joint survey.On the BW effect of the project in Telangana, the CWC chairman emphasised that it might be appropriate to have a joint survey in respect of six-seven big streams joining below FRL, levels at Bhadrachalam, and a water plant, so that a clear picture emerged, said Telangana, adding that the PPA could identify such big streams for joint a survey.

Representatives of AP and Telangana agreed that such joint surveys could be taken up, added the state.In view of a lack of response from the PPA for the identification of seven streams, the Telangana government furnished the details of all 36 streams, duly identifying seven for the joint survey.

Other things to note

On the effects of the Manuguru heavy water plant due to backwaters, the CWC, PPA, and the AP government agreed to a joint survey, and based on the survey’s heavy water plant results, necessary measures would be undertaken by the PPA.With regard to sediment and silt, variation had been observed between the main river cross-sectional data furnished by the CWC with the LiDAR survey and on-ground survey data at three locations.This variation in the river regime would impact the sediment and silt load necessitating a fresh study.

On the deviation in observed past flood events and mathematical study outcomes, the CWC was requested for the validation of the stage-discharge curves for assessing correct discharges flowing in the river at a particular water level.This aspect becomes more pronounced due to the huge variations observed by the Krishna & Godavari Basin Organisation (KGBO) of the CWC when the discharges during the current monsoon were arrived at based on instrumentation in comparison to the stage-discharge table.

Request to take immediate steps

Muralidhar said that there was no action from AP and a total lack of coordination on the part of the PPA.To focus on the concerns of Telangana, the Central government filed a compliance affidavit on 1 September, 2023, stating that officials of the AP government and Telangana gave their consent to a joint survey for issues pertaining to Telangana.It added that necessary measures were to be taken by the PPA and the AP government, as may be required, based on survey results, and thus the matter was resolved.

However, this stand of the Central government was totally contrary to the ground reality as none of the activities — as claimed — had been undertaken, and hence appeared to be mere eyewash of the assurances made in various Meetings undertaken by the CWC and the PPA, said Telangana. .