Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy asks Modi to solve Polavaram project backwaters issue

Khammam: Former MLC and BJP national co-in-charge of Tamil Nadu Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issues of submergence due to Polavaram project backwaters in Bhadrachalam and other villages in Telangana State.

In the letter, he mentioned that Polavaram irrigation project has been declared as the National Project by the virtue of Andhra Pradesh Re-organization Act, 2014. The project is an inter-State project having vast impact not only on Andhra Pradesh but also on Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, he informed.

Sudhakar Reddy stated that the project authorities have not conducted back water studies properly and completely ignored in the adverse of the historical Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple at Bhadrachalam and town besides about 100 villages in Singareni Collieries, Dummagudem project, Manuguru Heavy Water Treatment plant in the State.

He said, "I am not opposing construction of Polavaram irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh, but there is need to be proper back water studies and adverse impact on the upstream State must be avoided."

Sudhakar Reddy said that if Godavari River touches danger level at Bhadrachalam, many places would merge in water due to back water effect. He requested the Prime Minster to look into the matter and see that proper precautionary measures would be taken to project upstream regions in Telangana State, particularly historical temple of Lord Rama in Bhadrachalam.