INTRODUCTION, SUBMERSION DETAILS

 The Polavaram Project is proposed on River Godavari near Polavaram (v) West Godavari district i.e., 42 Kms u/s of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage, Dowlaiswaram. The Project envisages to provide irrigation facilities to an extent of 7.19 lakh acres (i.e. 4.00 lakh acres under left main canal and 3.19 lakh acres, under right main canal) in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts. Power generation of 720 MW, diversion of 80 TMC of waters to Krishna Basin, providing water supply to Vizag city and industries and to villages enroute also proposed in the scope. The project involves submergence of 1.01 lakh acres of land in its foreshore and displacement of 28,126 families in 293 villages.

Polavaram is a major project on the Godavari River named after the closest town in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. It is estimated to cost some Rs 9,265 Crores ($2,131 million) but recently the Chief Minister put this as high as 20,000 Crores ($ 4,590 million). The Polavaram project, which is now proposed to be implemented with certain modifications, was conceived more than 50 years back. Its design is outdated and does not fully take into consideration the damage likely to be caused to the ecology, environment, wild life and human habitations and many changes that have taken place in the society over the years.

The central part of the Polavaram project is the barrage constructed straight across the Godavari River some 15 km north of Rajmundhry in East Godavari district. The barrage will be constructed at a level of 150 feet (47 meters) and raise the water along the river stretch upstream in Godavari and several of its tributaries. The submersion will stretch along the Sabari River, a tributary to Godavari, up to the borders of Orissa and Chhattisgarh.

The Right Main Canal will supply of 80 tmcft of water to Budameru in Vijayawada, which opens into Krishna river upstream of Prakasam barrage. In this way the canal will connect the Godavari and Krishna rivers. The 174 km long canal will draw 80 tmcft (226 million m³) of water from the dam site and drop it in to the Krishna. Since the canal is a major one there has also been a proposal to make it navigable for freight boats.

The Left Main Canal is designed to provide water to 12 lakh acres in north coastal districts besides meeting the drinking water needs of urban and rural areas. It will connect with Yeleru Left Main canal to bring water for industrial (Vizag steel plant) and drinking water purposes. It will also supply north coastal districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam with irrigation water   

  POLAVARAM PROJECT

The Polavaram Project is located on the river Godavari near Polavaram, 42 Km. upstream of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage. The Polavaram Project is contemplated as Multipurpose Project envisaging irrigation benefits for the lands in East Godavari, Visakhapatnam Districts under left Main Canal and West Godavari and Krishna Districts under Right Main Canal. In addition to this Hydro Power Generation, water supply for industries in Visakhapatnam Township and Steel Plant besides drinking water supply to villages and towns enroute and diversion of 80 TMC ft. of water to Krishna river through right main canal to augment the supplies of Krishna Basin are also envisaged under the Project.

Total Ayacut contemplated to be irrigated under left and right Basin Canals is 7.20 Lakhs Ac.(2.91 lakh ha.). Present estimate cost of the project is is.10,680 Crores. Total Power Generation under the Project is 720 MW. The net yield worked out at Polavaram is 687.77 TMC. The B. C. Ratio for the Project is worked out to 2.22.

The project submerges 37,782 Hs.(93359Ac of land at FRL (+150 ft). This include Govt. lands, private lands and forest lands affecting 276 villages land 1,17,034 population. Detailed investigation of the Project is completed.

Preparation of EIA & EMP reports and R&R Plan is entrusted to EPTRI, Hyderabad. C.W.C. has accorded clearance to Hydrology, Cropping Pattern, Interstate aspects under GWDT 1980 award. Forest clearance from MOEF and R&R Plan clearance from Ministry of Welfare Government of India have to be obtained.

In the High Level Committee Meeting held on 16.01.2001 at New Delhi, it was decided that the representative from Government of Andhra Pradesh would meet their counter parts from Chattisgarh and Orissa and explain the methodology adopted for back water calculation and clarify any other points raised by the two states. The officials of APERL who prepared back water calculations went to Bhuvanshwar and Raipur and explained the same duely furnishing the relavent data.

The concurrence / response of the Governments of Orissa and Chattisgarh on the Project in terms of April 1980 agreement will be furnished with in two months.

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The Polavaram Project is a Multipurpose project proposed on the river Godavari at Polavaram (v) in West Godavari District. The Project envisages of irrigation facilities to an extent of about 2,91,000 ha. (7,19,000 Ac) in Vishakapattanam, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts besides diversion of 80 TMC of Godavari water to Krishna river basin. It also envisages provision of water to Vishakapatnam city and other towns and villages enroute and generation of 720 M.W. of hydro electric power.

The C.W.C so far communicated 72 sets of comments on different project reports on the scheme submitted 1983 to 1990 and replies to all sets of comments were furnished to the Governement. Hydrological clearance has been given for the project and Techno Ecnomic Clearance is awaited.

SUBMERSION DETAILS :

50,266 ha. of land will be submerged in these states. An extent of 3,327 ha. of Non-Forest have been identified for compensatory afforestation. E.I.A and E.M.P reports for Project are under preparation.