CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Description
The Prime Minister of India is set to convene a crucial meeting with the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh to deliberate on the progress and challenges related to the Polavaram irrigation project. This meeting is expected to address inter-state concerns and foster coordination for the smooth execution of one of the country’s largest multipurpose infrastructure undertakings.
Overview Of Polavaram Project
The Polavaram Project is a landmark multipurpose irrigation and hydroelectric initiative located on the Godavari River, at the point where the river descends from the Eastern Ghats into the plains of Andhra Pradesh. The site of the main dam is near Polavaram village in the West Godavari district, strategically positioned close to the borders of Chhattisgarh and Odisha, thus involving multiple states in its impact zone.
Originally conceptualised in 1980, the project emerged from the recommendations of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT), which sought equitable distribution and utilisation of Godavari river waters among riparian states. In recognition of its national importance and potential socio-economic benefits, the central government conferred National Project status on Polavaram in 2009, enabling enhanced financial and administrative support.
Key Infrastructure Features
The Polavaram dam is a massive engineering structure with a length of approximately 1.2 kilometres and a height of 54 metres. The spillway of the dam is designed to handle extreme flood situations that statistically occur once every thousand years. Remarkably, the spillway will feature 48 radial gates, each measuring 16 metres by 20 metres.
One of the most impressive aspects of the project is the record-setting concrete pour of over 32,315.5 cubic metres in a single stretch during the construction of the spillway channel. This feat has been recognised internationally and positions the project among the top hydropower infrastructure developments globally.
The discharge capacity of the Polavaram spillway is slated to reach 50 lakh cusecs, making it the largest flood-handling structure in the world—even surpassing China's iconic Three Gorges Dam.
Primary Objectives And Benefits
The Polavaram Project is designed to deliver multiple socio-economic and ecological benefits:
Irrigation: It will create a gross irrigation potential of 4,36,825 hectares, transforming agricultural productivity in several drought-prone areas of Andhra Pradesh.
Hydropower Generation: The project will generate 960 MW of electricity, contributing significantly to the region’s energy security.
Drinking Water Supply: It is expected to provide safe drinking water to approximately 28.5 lakh people across 611 villages.
Flood Management: By regulating the flow of the Godavari River, the dam will reduce the risk of flooding in downstream regions, protecting both lives and livelihoods.
Inter-Basin Water Transfer: The project includes a component to divert 80 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic Feet) of surplus water from the Godavari basin to the Krishna River basin, addressing water scarcity in several regions of coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Inter-State Concerns And Coordination
Given its vast scale and multi-state impact, the Polavaram Project has often been the subject of debate and legal scrutiny. Concerns include displacement of tribal communities, environmental impacts, and inundation in neighbouring states such as Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
The upcoming meeting chaired by the Prime Minister is aimed at resolving such contentious issues, ensuring equitable benefits, and expediting the project’s completion. It is expected that inter-state agreements on rehabilitation, environmental safeguards, and water-sharing will be key items on the agenda.
Conclusion
The Polavaram Project is not just an irrigation scheme but a transformative infrastructure initiative that holds the potential to alter the economic landscape of southern India. Its successful completion will serve as a model of cooperative federalism, engineering innovation, and sustainable development. The Prime Minister’s involvement in the upcoming meeting underscores the project’s national significance and the government’s commitment to resolving long-standing regional challenges.
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