As Deputy Speaker Manoj Singh Mandavi dedicated maximum time of Question Hour of Chhattisgarh Assembly to discuss the issue of under construction Polavaram project in the House on Thursday, State Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Ravindra Choubey admitted to the fact that nine villages of Konta development block will be affected by the backwater once the project is completed. The Minister was replying to a question asked by JCC-J MLA Dr Renu Jogi. Choubey said that a study report has been prepared.

 

However, the report cannot be made public as petition on Polavoram project is pending in the Supreme Court. Dr Renu Jogi wanted to know about the affected villages in Bastar due to the project and number of people getting affected under it. The Minister informed the House that the villages getting affected by the project are Banjamgunda, Metaguda, Pedakisoli, Asirguda, Injaram, Fandiguda, Dhondra, Konta and Venkatpuram. Around 18,510 people are living in these villages. The Minister said that State Government has filed a petition in Supreme Court to protect the interest of Chhattisgarh and its people.

 

The Minister also informed the House that Odisha and Telangana states have also filed petition in Supreme Court. It is difficult to say about the construction status and date of completion of the project unless the court dispose of the petitions filed by the states. In the meantime, BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar and JCC-J MLA Dharamjeet Singh intervened and demanded to send secretary level officials to assess the work in progress at the project site, so that further course of action can be taken by State Government. On it, the Minister reiterated that the matter is in the Court and therefore nothing can be done at present.

 

The Minister assured the House that the interest of Chhattisgarh will be protected. The Polavaram Project is an under construction multi-purpose irrigation National project on the Godavari River in the West Godavari District and East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh. Its reservoir back water spreads up to the Dummugudem Anicut, approx 150 km back from Polavaram dam on main river side and approx 115 km on Sabari River side. It is located 40 km to the upstream of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Rajamahendravaram City and 25 km from Rajahmundry Airport. Thus back water spreads into parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha states.