Undoubtedly, Polavaram project is life line of AP people. The project has recently been a topic of debate in the state as opposition party and other parties started talking about the progress of project in bad light. Though, political parties make comments based on their political needs, usually expert committees have to give genuine reports that too when the report is going to Union government itself. Recent report from Central Water Commission seems to have expressed happiness on progress of Polavaram project.
The expert committee of the Central Water Commission (CWC) has expressed satisfaction over pace in which Polavaram project is progressing. The committee also visited rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) village and said that beneficiaries were almost satisfied with R&R package. Convener of the committee R K Pachauri submitted the report to the Union Ministry of Water Resources Department on March 21 after its third inspection of the project between March 15 and 17. It is also mentioned in the report that transition from first contractor to second contractor was smooth and there are absolutely no issues in that.
Committee did mention some short falls too. For example, laying concrete in spillway is progressing at the rate of 3,000 cubic metres per day while the target is 4,800 cum per day. But the committee also mentioned that the target is very ambitious one here. Another short fall mentioned is about rehabilitation after land acquisition. While 11 lakh acres has already been acquired from 17,739 families, only 3,348 families have been rehabilitated so far. Also it mentioned, R&R work is still lagging behind.
But overall, the report was genuine and positive on AP government on many aspects. State government officials said the committee’s report has given a relief to them in backdrop of present crisis.