Naidu said that water would be released from the project only after the completion of the rehabilitation exercise
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday announced that rehabilitation and resettlement of evacuees of Polavaram major irrigation project on Godavari River would be completed by 2027 and water would be released from the project only after the completion of the rehabilitation exercise.
During his visit to the Polavaram dam site at Ramayyapet village of Eluru district to review the progress of project construction, Naidu interacted with the people whose villages would be submerged in the backwaters of the project.
He said it was the responsibility of the state government to do justice to all displaced families, who have sacrificed their lands and houses for the project. “Rehabilitation of all displaced will be completed by 2027 before the water is released from the project. The project will be inaugurated only after that,” he said.
The chief minister told the displaced villagers that very less compensation was paid to them before 2014. After the TDP came to power in 2014, a total of ₹4,311 crore was paid to the displaced families. “The subsequent government formed in 2019 completely ignored them and now, after the TDP-led coalition came to power in 2024, we released ₹829 crore into the accounts of the displaced,” he said.
He assured that all displaced villagers would be paid the compensation without giving any chance to middlemen. “There are complaints from some affected that their names have been deleted and necessary action will be taken after an inquiry into the matter. Compensation will be paid for all the eligible and we will ensure that justice is done to anyone,” the chief minister said.
Stating that tribal communities have made immense sacrifices for the Polavaram project, Naidu said his government would pay an additional ₹75,000 for each of the tribal families who want to build their own houses.
Naidu regretted that due to the delay in completing the project, the cost of construction escalated significantly. “The diaphragm wall, initially constructed for ₹400 crore, was washed away due to negligence during the previous regime. Now, we are rebuilding it by spending ₹990 crore. Public money should be spent for the benefit of the people, not wasted,” he said.
In response to the remarks, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader and former irrigation minister Ambati Rambabu alleged that it was Naidu who was responsible for the delay and “destruction” of Polavaram project.
He said the delay was mainly due to the Naidu government taking up the construction, originally a central government responsibility, for the sake of his favourite contractors and commissions.
“Naidu awarded contracts to his associates and failed to build the cofferdam before constructing the earth-cum-rock dam, a critical oversight,” he said.