WHY ALTERNATIVE BARRAGES TO POLAVARAM DAM PROJECT?

POLAVARAM – ALTERNATIVE DESIGN FOR HEAD WORKS
polavaram dam safetyrocedures violated as per C.W.C.norms
http://www.cwc.gov.in/main/downloads/Report%20on%20DS%20ProceduPres.pdf[see report]
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orissa was compelled to sign on Bachwat tribunal report
during president Rule in Orissa ,by a jr.officer [     Exe.  Engr]
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d flood history predict a peak flood of 80 to 90 lakh cusecs and that could wash the dam away, says T Hanumantha Rao, former chief engineer of A.P.state
d flood history predict a peak flood of 80 to 90 lakh cusecs and that could wash the dam away, says T Hanumantha Rao, former chief engineer 
[Statesman News Service

Balasore, 2 June

A delegation of the Balasore wing of the Utkal Samaj led by its state general secretary, Mr Bhaskar Jena, submitted a memorandum to the district collector stating their opposition to the Polavaram project.

The delegation maintained that the dam project would be perilous for the state as the height of the dam would be increased under the modified plan. Not only 28 villages of Odisha on the borders with Andhra Pradesh but the villages in the neighbouring state too would be inundated. Forest cover in the area too would remain submerged round the year, they pointed out.The delegation said the then Central government under the UPA II regime gave environment clearance  to the project despite the matter being sub-judice and the state government protesting the move

While there has been a change of guard at the Centre, the stand   of the state government  has been softened, they alleged.“Under the prevailing circumstances if the project is allowed to be completed it would jeopardize the interest of the state at large. The state government is diluting its focus ever since the BJP government has come to power. We oppose the plan and will continue to do so. If the government fails to act on our demand that the height of the dam should be reduced and change in design be brought about, we would take the issue to the street,” said Mr Jena.

http://www.thestatesman.net/news/57741-utkal-samaj-oppose-polavaram.htm

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DAMS and Barrages

Both the dam and barrage are barriers constructed across a river or natural water course for diverting water into a canal mainly for purposes of irrigation, water supply etc. or into a channel or a tunnel for generation of power.
In case of a barrage, its entire length across the river i.e. between the banks is provided with gates having their bottom sill near the river bed level. Thus, the storage behind the barrage is solely created by the height of the gates.
The dam on the other hand has spillway gates almost near its top level and the storage behind the dam is mainly due to the height of concrete structure and partially due to the gate height.
In both the cases, however, the number and size of gates [is]must be adequate to pass the design flood during monsoons
=======================================clearences are not unconditional

State Govt. had submitted the proposal of the project for inclusion as National Project in April, 2009 as per guidelines for National Projects issued by the Ministry of Water Resources, Govt. of India.  The project was recommended by the High Powered Steering Committee for inclusion as National Project in August, 2009.  The EFC memorandum was discussed in the EFC meeting held on 5.3.2010 and it was decided that state govt. may work out realistic cost & implementation programme of the project. The cost of the project has been updated as Rs.16010.45 crore at 2010-11 price level. The revised cost of the project for Rs 16010.45 crore (Price Level 2010-11) has been accepted by the Advisory committee of MOWR in its 108^th Meeting held on 4.1.2011. Investment clearance from the Planning Commission for the revised cost is awaited.

Stop work order by MoEF

Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF) while responding to the special mention by Dr. K.V.P. Ramchandra, M.P. in Rajya Sabha on 12^th August, 2011 regarding demand to conduct public hearing for Indira Sagar Polavaram Multipurpose Project in Andhra Pradesh commented as under:

“Government of Andhra Pradesh has so far not conducted the requisite public hearings in Orissa and Chhattisgarh. Due to non compliance of this environment clearance condition, the MoEF has issued stop work order for the project on 8^th February, 2011….Since public hearings in both the states are still pending, the stop work order for the project continues. A final decision in this regard shall be taken after the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court”.

Government of Andhra Pradesh vide its letter no. 14/ISPP/2013 dated 8.4.2013 has intimated that MoEF on the representation of Andhra Pradesh, has decided to keep the stop work order in abeyance for a period of six months during which efforts be made to get the Public Hearings done in the States of Odisha and Chhattisgarh for the protective embankments.

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ARTICLE  BY

T.Hanumantha Rao
Retired Enineer-in-Chief,Government of Andhra Pradesh.

 It was reported in the media on 26-10-2011 that when a Press Reporter asked about the alternative design for the Polavaram Head Works suggested by Mr.T.Hanumantha Rao, Retired Engineer-in-Chief , the AP Congress Party President Mr.Botsa Satyanarayana questioned the reporter “Is he the only Engineer? Are there no other Engineers”

To put the record straight, it has to be brought to the attention of all that this alternative design was innovated by me in 2007 ( and also appeared as an article in the media) so  as to see that the project work which was about to be stopped is continued smoothly without any hindrance.  This is especially due to the objections raised by Orissa and Chattisgarh governments regarding submersion of several villages in their states and the quashing orders of National Environmental Appellate Authority on the environmental clearance given by the Government of India on the grounds that environmental studies and acceptance of Grama Sabhas (for submersion area or construction of dykes), in the upper two states were not conducted.  

The alternative design gives all the benefits envisaged under the “Polavaram Dam” design (without any reduction whatsoever), including providing the required live storage of 75 TMC (at three places instead of one place) and all this without submersion of any village in Orissa and Chattisgarh states.  In the light of the past experience with the Orissa government, stalling Vamsadhara stage-II and JhanjavathiDam projects for more than 25 years (on the same grounds of submersion within their state) any design without submersion in their states is welcome.  In this context it would be relevant to observe that regional, political differences, submersions in tribal areas and debates thereon, would all create only heat in the media and would never really be able to stop Polavaram dam since such objections in the past in the case of Pulichintala Dam could not stop it from completion.

Upstream states objections on submersions (within their states) only would stop Polavaram dam as practically seen in the cases of Vamsadhara Sage-II and Jhanjhavati projects for the past 3 decades (inspite of having agreements). Again there is a stalemate here.  Unless Grama Sabhas are conducted in the upper states and their consents obtained for construction of dykes (costing Rs.700 crore) environmental clearance cannot be given and these states are not agreeable to conduct the same.  Hence, there is an urgent need to formulate a technical design to avoid submersion in upper states and at the same time get the full benefits of the dam.

Such a technical solution (of silt free barrages) without submersions in the upper states given in 2007, instead of being treated as a God given boon, it went un-noticed by the people’s representatives and the state Government.  It is a tragedy that a solution intended to benefit the whole state is now being  opposed by some people’s leaders, wrongly thinking it as anti-project