Desist From Creating New Disputes Between States: Ambati Rambabu

HYDERABAD: Countering Telangana Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar's claims that Polavaram project was the cause of flooding in Bhadrachalam, Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Ambati Rambabu on Tuesday refuted the claims and asked the former to desist from creating new disputes between the two neighbouring states.

Addressing the media at the Lake View Guest House in Hyderabad, the Minister while taking exceptions to Puvvada’s claim about Polavaram as the cause for excess flood in Godavari at upstream Bhadrachalam, Ambati Rambabu wondered how the project could be the cause of flooding at Bhadrachalam.In 1986 Bhadrachalam was inundated then when there was no Polvaram project, he reminded.

There are no disputes between AP and Telangana now. Please don't try to create new disputes. If there is any problem, Chief Ministers of the two states will sort that out," the AP Minister advised. He said that there is a Central Water Committee, Krishna and Godavari River Boards along with the Central Government to settle issues regarding water disputes. Polavaram project will be completed in phases. A white paper with details will be released soon, he said.

The Centre has granted all permissions for Polavaram after all surveys. The Centre merged seven mandals from Telangana with AP because they faced the threat of submergence due to the multipurpose project. If we were to give back five villages, would you give us Bhadrachalam back," Rambabu asked.Noting that floods were natural when there were heavy rains, Rambabu said Telangana could find out from the Central Water Commission if indeed Polavaram caused the inundation of villages in that state. Ambati reminded that the central government has given all permissions to build the Polavaram project up to a height of 45.72 meters.

He said that Central Water Power Research Station (CWPRS) had investigated and concluded that even if the reservoir is fully filled (FRL) at this height, there will be no damage. That is why the seven mandals which are prone to redevelopment due to the construction of Polavaram were allotted to AP at the time of division. He said that the AP government will take the responsibility of rehabilitating the people of the seven mandals which will be flooded due to the national project Polavaram.

Also Watch: AP Minister Ambati Rambabu Reactions To Puvvada Ajay Kumar's Comments on Polavaram Project

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