Fresh row between Telangana, Andhra Pradesh over Polavaram

Hyderabad: The Godavari floods at Bhadrachalam sparked a fresh row between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, with Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar blaming it on the Polavaram project and demanding for reducing the height of the project. He wanted the Centre to intervene and address the issue to prevent flooding of Bhadrachalam and its surrounding areas in future.

He stated that five villages in Andhra Pradesh near the State border too were flooded and the villagers came to Bhadrachalam to take shelter in the rescue camps as the Andhra Pradesh government did not come to their rescue.

“Earlier, Godavari flood flow used to have equal inflow and outflow. But this time the outflow was slow. As we mentioned earlier, Telangana will see an uncomfortable situation due to the Polavaram project work,” Ajay Kumar told mediapersons at TRS Legislative Party here on Tuesday.

The Minister opined that the outflow was slow during the recent floods as the Andhra Pradesh government finished fixing the gates of the Polavaram project and water levels may have been retained in the seven mandals, which were transferred to Andhra Pradesh from Telangana in 2014. He feared that once the Polavaram project is completed, water levels at Bhadrachalam will permanently remain 45.5 feet. He accused the Andhra Pradesh government of increasing the project height by three metres which increased the flood threat to Bhadrachalam.

“So earlier also we demanded that the height of the Polavaram project has to be reduced,” he recalled. He stated that the Telangana government will take up with the Centre for merger of at least five villages from Andhra Pradesh near Bhadrachalam back in Telangana and seek for introduction of a bill in this regard during the ongoing Parliament session.

However, Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana gave a sharp reaction and advised Ajay Kumar to mind his own business rather than criticising the Andhra Pradesh government on rescue operations in flood-hit villages near Bhadrachalam. “We know how to take care of our people,” he said. He wondered why Ajay Kumar was demanding for merger of seven mandals in Telangana after seven years and in such case, the Andhra Pradesh will demand for merger of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Satyanarayana further stated that issues should be resolved amicably through talks instead of making provocative statements. He assured that the Polavaram project was being constructed as per the design approved by the Central Water Commission (CWC). He said the Godavari River witnessed an unprecedented flood which was not experienced in the last 100 years during the month of July and hence, the huge floods.