Water Resources Minister Ambati Rambabu has said that the experts of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and the Central Water Commission (CWC) are yet to finalise the future course of action pertaining to the Polavaram project diaphragm wall which was damaged during the Godavari floods in 2021.
“The NHPC and CWC experts are mulling over two proposals on the damaged diaphragm wall. The proposals are either to repair the damaged portion or construction of a new diaphragm wall parallel to the existing one,” Mr. Rambabu told the media after inspecting the Polavaram project in Eluru district on July 19 (Wednesday).
The CWC and NHPC experts have completed field-level investigations by February, 2023. “The experts are yet to come up with the final recommendation on the damaged diaphragm wall,” the Minister said.
Godavari floods
Mr. Rambabu, accompanied by irrigation engineers, inspected the lower and upper cofferdams and spillway in the wake of the heavy inflows into the Godavari.
“By Wednesday, the inflows into the Godavari was put at 1.2 lakh cusecs at the Polavaram irrigation project. There is no threat to any facility of the project. However, we are preparing to tackle the possible flood situation in the coming weeks and prevent any untoward incident,” said Mr. Rambabu.
The Irrigation engineers said that the water level was likely to go up due to the huge inflows into the Godavari from Sabari and Sileru rivers.
