Former Telangana irrigation minister T Harish Rao has urged the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) to provide adequate compensation, undertake flood protection measures, and establish a dedicated PPA division office in Bhadrachalam. The office would monitor rehabilitation, flood management, and backwater-related issues affecting Telangana. He warned that Bhadrachalam town could face a permanent flood threat once the Polavaram project is completed.
Harish Rao wrote a letter to the PPA chief executive officer, which was handed over to the CEO and other officers visiting the areas on Thursday by local BRS leaders of Bhadrachalam and Pinapaka. The letter said the backwater impact is likely to threaten not only villages but also major industries in the region.
Flood Warning Level Concerns
The ex-minister pointed out that the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of the Polavaram Project is 45.72 metres, exactly the same as the first flood warning level at Bhadrachalam. He warned that once the project becomes fully operational, Bhadrachalam could face a constant flood threat. He explained that while the riverbed level of the Godavari at Bhadrachalam is around 26 metres, the backwater effect from Polavaram would result in water levels remaining between 13.15 metres and 17.72 metres above the riverbed for prolonged periods.
Devastating Floods of 2022
Referring to the devastating floods of 2022, the ex-minister said that after the completion of the Polavaram coffer dam, backwater effects contributed significantly to flooding in Bhadrachalam, Burgampahad, and Sarapaka. Nearly 40% of Bhadrachalam town was submerged, causing severe hardship to more than one lakh people. He stated, "If such extensive damage occurred during floods of around 22 lakh cusecs, the consequences could be far worse in the future when flood flows of 36 lakh to 50 lakh cusecs, as envisaged in the project’s design, pass through the Godavari. The threat is not limited to villages alone. Major industrial establishments, including ITC Paperboards, the Heavy Water Plant, and the Dummugudem Hydel Project, are also vulnerable to backwater flooding. These industries provide livelihoods to nearly 5,000 families."
Studies and Demands
Harish Rao cited studies conducted by IIT and WAPCOS, which indicate that nearly 184 square kilometres across 36 villages could be affected by the backwater impact. He demanded immediate compensation and comprehensive rehabilitation for nearly 2,000 families that have been suffering repeated losses due to recurring floods. He explained the vulnerability of eight outfall regulators connected to Bhadrachalam’s drainage system and called for the immediate construction of pumping stations and treatment plants to ensure that floodwaters can be effectively discharged into the Godavari. The BRS leader demanded the construction of new embankments extending about five kilometres along Bhadrachalam town and protective flood walls for vulnerable villages such as Burgampahad and Sarapaka.
"The BRS Party will continue to stand with flood-affected families and fight for the protection of Telangana’s interests and the rights of people living in Polavaram-affected areas," he said.
