PPA Says it Vets AFRY’s Designs of Polavaram Project

Vijayawada: Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) has clarified that the agency executing the project has engaged design consultant – AFRY India Private Limited – for preparing designs and drawings of the project.

These designs and drawings are vetted by the PPA, the authority said in response to a set of queries regarding the Polavaram project under provisions of Right to Information Act, 2005.

Inaganti Ravi Kumar filed the RTI application before the union ministry of Jal Shakti raising several queries, including who approved the nomenclature of phase-1 and 2 of the Polavaram project and the criteria for doing so.

The PPA, in its reply, explained that the AP government held a meeting of the Monitoring Committee on 29-07-2021 to strengthen the monitoring mechanism for the resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) process. It said the R&R works and shifting of project displaced families will be taken up as per contour levels up to 41.15 metres and 45.72 metres respectively. The focus would be on completing R&R up to 41.15 metres.

Later, as per request from AP for inclusion of the water component for reimbursement, the centre examined the proposal. It asked AP to furnish assessment of benefits of the project at minimum drawdown level (MDDL) of 41.15 metres. In the subsequent review meeting held on 10-04-2023, the water resources secretary raised a proposal for getting balance funds till phase-1 of the project, which means impounding of water in the dam up to 41.15 metres. Accordingly, the phase-1 of the project came into practice.

With regard to the query on reasons for damage to upstream left-side guide bund for spillway and authorities responsible for the damage and the amount of revenue loss to the government, the PPA replied that as per approved drawings of approach channel, the soil in the approach channel had to be removed to have the required flow conditions. Thus, the soil deposit beside the cut off wall had to be removed. This resulted in retaining wall deflection towards the approach channel, causing sliding of the guide bund.

A fact finding committee constituted by Jal Shakti ministry for assessment of the impact observed that as per the agreement conditions, the cut off wall and guide bund remained within the defect liability period of the contractor. Accordingly, the contractor had to bear the cost of making it good.

On the number of supplementary agreements and contract value, the PPA replied saying the balance works had been given to MEIL in 2019 for ₹1,548.12 crore. After that, AP government concluded nine supplementary agreements with MEIL and the present agreement amount is ₹2,077.79 crore.