Harish Rao Demands PPA Address Polavaram Flood Risks in Bhadrachalam
Former irrigation minister T Harish Rao has urged the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) to address imminent flood risks in Bhadrachalam, warning that the town faces a permanent flood threat once the Polavaram project becomes fully operational. In a letter delivered to the visiting PPA chief executive officer on Thursday, Rao demanded immediate flood protection measures, adequate compensation, and the establishment of a dedicated PPA division office in Bhadrachalam to monitor backwater issues.
The letter was handed over to the PPA CEO and other visiting officials on Thursday by local Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders of Bhadrachalam and Pinapaka. In his communication, Rao pointed out that the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of the Polavaram Project is 45.72 metres, which is the exact same level as the first flood warning level at Bhadrachalam.
Rao explained that while the riverbed level of the Godavari River at Bhadrachalam is around 26 metres, the backwater effect from the Polavaram project would result in water levels remaining between 13.15 metres and 17.72 metres above the riverbed for prolonged periods. This sustained high water level threatens to submerge local villages and critical industrial hubs.
To illustrate the danger, the former minister recalled the devastating floods of 2022. He stated that after the completion of the Polavaram coffer dam, backwater effects contributed significantly to severe flooding in Bhadrachalam, Burgampahad, and Sarapaka. During those floods, nearly 40 percent of Bhadrachalam town was submerged, causing severe hardship to more than one lakh residents.
Rao warned that future consequences could be far worse. While the 2022 damage occurred during floods of around 22 lakh cusecs, the project's design envisages flood flows of 36 lakh to 50 lakh cusecs passing through the Godavari.
Such massive flows threaten not only residential areas but also major industrial establishments in the region. These include ITC Paperboards, the Heavy Water Plant, and the Dummugudem Hydel Project, which together provide livelihoods to nearly 5,000 families.
Citing scientific studies conducted by IIT and WAPCOS, Rao noted that approximately 184 square kilometres of land across 36 villages could be impacted by the backwaters. Consequently, he demanded immediate compensation and comprehensive rehabilitation for nearly 2,000 families who are at risk.
