Andhra CM reviews progress of Polavaram projects

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Monday, while reviewing the progress of the Polavaram project work, asked the officials to make arrangements for a gallery walk of the spillway on September 3.

Conducting the 71st virtual review at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister said an action plan should be prepared to complete the rehabilitation process by December, adding that officials should camp at Delhi to speed up the clearance of project designs.

During the discussion held with the Board of Chief engineers earlier in the day on Goods and Services Tax (GST) and necessary proposals, Naidu said reports would be sent to the Centre on the same.

He revealed that 57.41 per cent of the project work was completed so far, including 44.23 per cent head works, 42.80 per cent main dam package, 77 per cent excavation works, 33.70 per cent concrete works, 61.75 per cent radial gate works and 94.20 jet grouting works.

Later, Naidu, while conducting a meeting on the progress of several other projects, asked the officials to develop a vision for rainwater harvesting, to ensure that every drop of rainwater gets saved by diverting the water to tanks and reservoirs. He also said that 571 reservoirs should be geotagged so that in case of a dry spell, officials are able to provide water security to people in drought-prone areas.

The Chief Minister made it clear that steps should be taken to supply water to two crore acres including one crore acre of horticulture land. He also said that one crore acres should be covered under micro irrigation in six years, and advised officials to take up digging of larger farm ponds to use the water during the dry spell to save the standing crops through rain guns.

Appreciating the efforts of engineering officials in completing the second phase of Vamsadhara to supply water to Heeramandalam, the Chief Minister said awards would be presented to the collector, joint collector, engineers and contractors. He also advised officials to be careful and monitor the river bunds carefully to prevent breaches during the rainy season.