Prakash Javadekar. (PTI)The Centre on Wednesday gave a two-year extension to the permission for construction work issued for the Polavaram Multipurpose project in Andhra Pradesh.
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar made the announcement at Parliament complex on Wednesday
“The Polavaram project is very important to the people of Andhra Pradesh as it will irrigate nearly 3 lakh hectares of land, generate hydel power with an installed capacity of 960 MW and provide drinking water facilities to 540 enroute villages covering a population of 25 lakh, particularly in Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Krishna Districts. I have signed the order for the extension today,” said Javadekar.
The Centre had asked the Andhra Pradesh government in 2011 to stop construction. In 2014, the NDA government designated the dam as a national project and the ministry kept the “Stop Work Order” in abeyance to allow the construction work. The order has been kept in the same state from the past six years. Considering the immense importance of the project this time the Ministry is keeping the “Stop Work Order” in abeyance to allow construction work for two years without permission to impound water, Javadekar added.
The project envisages the construction of an Earth-cum-Rock filled dam across the river Godavari.
