Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Ambati Rambabu has said that the 12-member experts committee has confirmed that a damage was done to the 1.7-km-long diaphragm wall of the Polavaram irrigation project during the recent floods.
The expert team was sent by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to inspect the project site after the State government informed it about the damage done to the diaphragm wall in floods. The two-day inspection of the project site by the team led by Advisor to the Ministry of Jal Shakti concluded on Sunday.
Mr. Rambabu, along with Special Chief Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar and Polavaram project engineers and the members of the expert committee from the Dam Design Review Panel, Central Water Commission, and Central Soil and Materials Research Station (New Delhi), reviewed the status of the project on Sunday.
“The expert team has concluded that the diaphragm wall was damaged during the floods as it was constructed prior to the completion of the cofferdam. We are waiting to hear from the experts who will decide whether the damaged diaphragm wall can be repaired or a new wall needs to be built,” said Mr. Rambabu.
The Minister said that the previous TDP government had spent ₹400 crore on the construction of the diaphragm wall without completing the cofferdam. “Now, the diaphragm wall has been damaged. We have no clue on the expenditure to be entailed while addressing the issue,” said Mr. Rambabu.
Mr. Rambabu said the YSRCP government do not want to blame the previous government. “However, we are making the point as observed by the experts deputed by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to assess the damage and the present status of the Polavaram project,” he said.
