A 1.50-metre increase in the height of the upper cofferdam of the multipurpose Polavaram irrigation project by the Water Resources Department (WRD) of Andhra Pradesh has raised the hackles of the neighbouring Telangana.
The inundation of the temple town of Bhadrachalam and several villages along the course of the Godavari in Bhadradri - Kothagudem, which Telangana believes is the result of the increase in the dam height, evoked a knee-jerk reaction from Puvvada Ajay Kumar, the Minister who represents Khammam (where Bhadrachalam is located) in the Telangana Assembly, and other people’s representatives.
In a quick retort to their demand that the cofferdam height should be reduced, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Water Resources Ambati Rambabu maintained that the allegations being levelled by Mr. Ajay Kumar and others were baseless. The height had to be increased to mitigate the impact of floods, he insisted.
The Andhra Pradesh government had raised the dam’s height from 42.50 metres to 44 metres to increase its capacity so that it could withstand massive floods.
The task was completed in 48 hours following Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s instructions on July 15.
The upper cofferdam had been built to withstand a flood of 28.50 lakh cusecs. If the inflows were more than the capacity, water would flow over the cofferdam, it was feared.
Expecting more inflows, the State government had increased the height by 1.50 metres with 12,000 cubic metres of rock filling. Sixty dumpers and 20 machines were pressed into service for two days to complete the work on the 2.50-km stretch of the cofferdam.
The “swift decision” to increase the height helped Andhra Pradesh prevent damage to the cofferdam and overflowing of floodwaters from it.
But, ironically, Bhadrachalam experienced heavy floods. After a gap of nearly 32 years the temple town was marooned as the water level in the Godavari touched 70 feet.
The Telangana government, which was already facing criticism from people for inundation of the Kaleshwaram project, held Andhra Pradesh responsible for inundation of Bhadrachalam.
Bhadrachalam had received the highest inflow in 1983 when the water level touched 75.60 feet. Work on the Polavaram project had not even begun then.
Even as the construction of the Polavaram project was going on, there were instances when the floodwater crossed the 71-ft. mark at Bhadrachalam.
The construction of the main dam of the Polavaram project is yet to be completed. As per the designs approved by the Central Water Commission (CWC), the height of the main dam is 55 metres, while the height of cofferdam after its increase is 44 metres.
It is said that the design of the main dam has been approved after taking into consideration the backwaters and the likely inundation.
The Polavaram project, in terms of its backwaters and inundation, had reportedly been discussed during an agreement reached between Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and combined Andhra Pradesh in the 1980s.
Meanwhile, the joint committee of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh officials had discussed the issue threadbare, and a report submitted by it recently did not point out any threat of inundation, sources said.
“Therefore, the argument that Bhadrachalam has been inundated due to the increase in height of the cofferdam doesn’t hold water,” the officials say.
Mr. Rambabu, while stoutly refuting the allegation that the project would cause submergence of the areas under Bhadrachalam, said the full reservoir level (FRL) of Polavaram was 45.72 feet.
“If water is stored at this level after completion of the project, seven mandals of Telangana will be submerged. Hence, these mandals have been merged with Andhra Pradesh. It is now a closed chapter,” Mr. Rambabu asserted, urging the Telangana Minister not to trigger a fresh controversy.
The issue, however, resulted in mudslinging between the ruling YSRCP and the Opposition TDP.
Senior TDP leader and former Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswa Rao said all the data was on the table for everyone to see and assess. But the government chose to ignore the danger signs and left the people in the flood-prone areas in the lurch, he alleged.
“The YSRCP has utterly failed in flood management, especially in relief efforts. People have been left to suffer,” he alleged.
Refuting the allegation, Mr. Rambabu said the government was ready for a discussion on it. It was during the TDP term that the diaphragm wall was damaged due to “faulty execution of works,” he retorted. The YSRCP government had to increase the height of the cofferdam to check any untoward incidents, he made it clear.
