Metro India News | AMARAVATI

A team of central experts conducted soil quality tests on Thursday on the samples collected near the Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP). Central Materials and Soil Research Centre experts B Siddharth Hedao and Vipul Kumar Gupta collected samples in and around Dandangi village and Polavaram hydroelectric power station. Officials said the sample will be tested at the local and Central Soil and Materials Research Centre. 

Water Resources Department officials said that based on the results received, the soil will be used in the areas required in the Polavaram project. Water Resources Department DE Nirmala, EE D. Srinivasulu and representatives of construction company Megha Engineering participated in the meeting.

A few days ago, the authorities started the work on the gap-1 rockfill dam, which is crucial in the Polavaram project. Officials of the Water Resources Department, Polavaram Project Authority and Megha Engineering conducted pujas at the construction site of the project. The rockfill dam will be constructed at a length of 540 meters with a height of about 25 meters.

Setting up of Jalaharati Corporation: The state government has constituted the Jalaharathi Corporation to take up the Polavaram-Banakacharla link project to divert flood water from the Polavaram project.. The Jalaharati Corporation will be set up as a 100 per cent “Special Purpose Vehicle”(SPV) under the Companies Act. Chief Minister will be the the chairman,  Minister for Water Resources(Presently Nimmala Ramanaidu) will be the vice-chairman and Special Chief Secretary of water resources department and other officials will be the CEO of the company. The government estimates that the project will cost up to Rs 80,112 crore, 3 lakh hectares of new ayacut will come under cultivation and up to 20 TMC of water can be given to industries.