Global Experts to Assess Damage at Polavaram from Today

 Vijayawada: Polavaram irrigation project site at Polavaram in Eluru district will be buzzing with activity for four days from Sunday, June 30. During the interval, international experts and several agencies will inspect various components of the project and assess the extent of damage.

The international experts roped in for the purpose are David B. Paul and Gian Franco Di Cicco of US, and Richard Donnelly and Sean Hinchberger from Canada. Accompanied by officials of the water resources department, they will inspect upstream cofferdam, the riverbed, grouting, stability and seepage on Sunday morning.

Later in the day, they will inspect downstream cofferdam and check relevant documents. In the evening, they will inspect ECRF Gap-1 and examine documents related to it.

On Monday, July 1, the experts will inspect the ECRF Gap-II and verify documents related to the index plan of Polavaram dam, overall layout of ground improvement, factual report of trial vibro stone columns, longitudinal sections of the executed D-wall and damaged portions of D-wall. In addition, they will examine the report of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation.

On Tuesday, July 2, several agencies like Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), Central Water Commission, Messrs Bauer, Keller and others will make a presentation on developments at the project site. International experts will share their views on the matter.

On July 3, there will be an interaction between experts, various specialised agencies and the departments concerned.

Union ministry of Jal Shakti has already issued an order approving involvement of the four international experts for examining the Polavaram project on behalf of the Polavaram Project Authority.

The scope of panel of experts includes review and analysis of the soundness of design proposals. The experts will submit their opinions / findings / reports to PPA which, in turn, will submit them to CWC for concurrence.

Water resources engineer-in-chief C. Narayana Reddy said: “The international experts, along with the specialised agencies, will inspect the damaged components of the Polavaram project during their four-day visit for first-hand information on the extent of damage.”