Diversion of Godavari water through Polavaram spillway commissioned ceremoniously
Vijayawada: Nearly 6.6 km stretch diversion of Godavari river from its main course through Polavaram irrigation project’s spillway to supply water mainly for cultivation of crops in kharif season in Godavari delta region, has been ceremoniously commissioned by performing Bhoomi Puja by the water resources authorities at Polavaram in West Godavari on Friday.
Minister for water resources Dr P. Anil Kumar has taken part in the programme virtually from the city. Participating in the programme at the project site, water resources engineer-in-chief Narayana Reddy stated that with the direction from the Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and cooperation from the Centre, they could take up diversion of Godavari river through spillway having 42 crest gates to lift them and facilitate flow of nearly 10 cusecs of water at present. He said that they had made arrangements even not to take the natural flow with flood of 24 lakh cusecs as nearly 3,000 project affected families had already been evacuated from the vulnerable areas. He also said that they were trying to keep the Godavri river under their control to meet the requirements for mainly cultivation of crops and for drinking water needs of the people and added that the water could be moved by project gravity for the ensuing kharif season to the command area without any need for a demarcation and sounded confident to complete the execution of the Polavaram project by December, 2022.
Polavaram project executing agency Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited associate Vice President Rangarajan said the state government’s target to supply of water for kharif crops from June 15 was achieved by completing construction of diaphragm wall closing of cofferdam and construction of approach channel, spill channel and spillway.
The diverted river water will reach through approach channel to both Godavari districts, Tadipudi, Pattiseema and Pushkara lift schemes to meet cultivation and drinking water needs.
