Ponguleti writes to KCR, seeks change in Polavaram project design

Stating that there are apprehensions in the minds of general public and tribals over the construction of Polavaram project with the present design, senior Congress leader and Telangana MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy has urged Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to take up the matter with the Union Water Resources Ministry on the need to construct a barrage near Dummugudem/Bhadrachalam backwaters by changing the design of the project in order to protect the people of the area from submergence.

In a letter to the Chief Minister KCR on Monday, the Congress leader stated that irrigation experts opine that in the event of commencement of construction of Polavaram project as per the present design, the pilgrim town of Bhadrachalam and Dummudem mandal will be submerged displacing the people of these areas. Therefore, the project work could be commenced after changing the design of the project to protect the general and tribal people and also to protect environment and constitutional rights of the tribal population.

Ponguleti also reminded that he, as a people’s representative of Khammam district, had brought to the notice of the Centre and State governments through the floor of the Council on the inevitable need to change the design of the Polavaram project to protect the local population and environment. (NSS)